All but one of Germany's 16 states voted to ratify the European Union's Reform Treaty today but Berlin was forced to abstain due to a disagreement in its coalition government.

The passing of the treaty in the upper house means it now needs only the formality of a signature from President Horst Koller.

Berlin, whose coalition government is led by the pro-treaty Social Democrats, was unable to vote because the Left Party, its coalition partner, opposes the charter.

Germany's vote has tipped the scales - fourteen EU countries have now ratified the treaty, which means it needs the votes of a further thirteen before it passes into law.

Ireland is the only country constitutionally obliged to hold a referendum on the treaty, currently set for 12 June. The only party in the Dail (lower house) that opposes the treaty is Sinn Fein, with just four seats, but polls suggest that it will be close.

A poll carried out by Ireland's Sunday Business Post in April found that 35% of the electorate planned to vote Yes and 31% to vote No while 34% remained undecided.

Meanwhile, Germany's only Eurovision Song Contest winner, Nicole, has suggested the country pull out ahead of this weekend's competition due to a perceived Eurovision "Cold War" that saw last year's Eastern European competitors bolstered by other "Eastern bloc" votes.

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