Lower house OKs new EU treaty

Germany’s lower house of Parliament voted 515 to 58 to approve a new European Union treaty, easily clearing the necessary two-thirds majority.

That reflected wide political support for the treaty in the EU’s most populous country. It now goes to the upper house, representing the country’s 16 state governments, where it is expected to pass easily in a vote May 23.

The treaty alters the EU’s decision-making process, envisaging more decisions by majority vote rather than unanimous endorsement. It also provides for a president and a more powerful senior foreign policy official to give the bloc a stronger voice in global affairs.

Fewer than half of the 27 EU members have approved the treaty.