When the draft for an EU Constitution was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005, alarm bells went off. It was amply clear that in just two votes, the idea of binding Europe with a clear, common Constitution was not something the people wanted.

After the results, spirits flagged and a lull set in. Europe agreed that the text as it stood would have to be dropped, people either did not understand it and were apathetic to it or were simply hostile to the idea.

In the meantime, we have had two more countries join the bloc in Bulgaria and Romania, while Iceland, Turkey, Serbia and Croatia, amongst others, are pushing to be accepted into the club.

In the meantime, Europe’s technocrats have been busy in drafting the Lisbon Treaty. EU leaders signed the treaty in Lisbon on 13 December 2007. Europe says the treaty will “provide the EU with modern institutions and optimised working methods to tackle both efficiently and effectively today’s challenges in today’s world.

In its introduction to the treaty, the EU continues: “In a rapidly changing world, Europeans look to the EU to address issues such as globalisation, climatic and demographic changes, security and energy. The Treaty of Lisbon will reinforce democracy in the EU and its capacity to promote the interests of its citizens on a day-to-day basis.”

The biggest stumbling block was the Irish referendum and this has now passed, with the Irish people voting overwhelmingly in favour of adopting the treaty, mainly due to the stuttering Celtic Tiger economy.

Some thought that the fiery Polish President Lech Kaczynski would have used the treaty and signing of it as a bargaining chip within Europe’s negotiations, but these fears proved to be unfounded as the document was signed on Saturday.

And this is now where we arrive at the crux. Czech President Vaclav Klaus is a vehement Euro-sceptic and is holding out on signing the treaty although both sides of the Czech parliament have ratified it.

Mr Klaus, who makes no secret whatsoever of his feelings, has the leeway to hold out on signing it as a number of anti-EU Czch senators have questioned the treaty and mounted a challenge to the adoption of the treaty in the Constitutional Court.

Analysts believe that if this process drags out long enough to the general election in the UK next year, it could spell disaster for the treaty.

The UK’s Tories, notoriously sceptic of Europe, have said they will put the document to a referendum vote. The Tories are widely expected to secure a landslide election victory and putting it to the vote in the UK could really halt the process, given the public attitude towards the EU in the UK.

Klaus is a person who is known for his characteristic of not deciding on matters “until he has to”. If the referendum does take place in the UK, then he might not have to decide at all.

Klaus is not buckling to the immense pressure being put on him by the EU, the Czech public and senators on both sides of the House. There is even talk of him being stripped of his powers, so as to have the Prime Minister sign the document.

Europe cannot afford any more jarring. We are beginning to emerge from recession and the one most important thing for the bloc is now stability which will eventually lead to progress. Quite how the future of half a billion people lays in the hands of one man is rather preposterous, and we wonder how Europe has allowed itself to be backed into such a corner. But we will have to wait, with bated breath.