(ROME) - Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's new government on Friday adopted measures to ratify the EU treaty of Lisbon, but its Northern League partner wants this to be put to a referendum, ANSA news agency reported.

The treaty, signed by the 27-nation European Union in December 2007, is set to streamline and revitalise the bloc. However, each EU member state must ratify the treaty before it can come into effect, as planned, in 2009.

The anti-European Northern League, which wants autonomy for north Italy, is the linchpin that gave Berlusconi's coalition a parliamentary majority, but has "reservations" about the treaty.

"We are facing a serious case of abandoning sovereignty, popular consultation must not be bypassed," said outspoken Northern League member and newly appointed minister for the simplication of laws, Roberto Calderoli.

But Foreign Minister Franco Frattini stressed that Friday's cabinet decision, which has to be approved by parliament, was taken unanimously.

"There is no division within the government on this matter, and I hope that parliament will approve this bill swiftly and by a large majority, including the opposition."

The left-wing opposition's foreign affairs spokesman, Piero Fassino, hit out at the Northern League's "anti-European sentiments which can only worry our partners within the EU."

The parliaments of 14 of the EU member states have already ratified the treaty (Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia).

Only Ireland is constitutionally bound to hold the kind of national referendum which doomed the 2005 constitution. Its crucial vote will be held June 12.

Like the rejected constitution, the treaty of Lisbon proposes a permanent president to replace the cumbersome six-month rotating presidency system.

It also resizes the European Parliament and cuts back on the number of policy decision areas subject to unanimous support among EU member states -- effectively reducing national vetoes.

The treaty provides for a European charter of fundamental human and legal rights, which Britain and Poland have refused to make binding.

It drops all references to an EU flag or anthem, to assuage eurosceptic fears, such as those of the Northern League.

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