WARSAW, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The upper house of Poland's parliament (Senate) on Wednesday empowered the president to ratify the new European Union Treaty, which streamlines how the 27-memberbloc is run.

    Senators voted 74 to 17 with 6 abstentions, well clear of the two-thirds majority required (65 votes), Polish news agency PAP reported.

    On Tuesday the lower house of parliament (Sejm) passed the bill authorizing the president to ratify the so-called Lisbon treaty, following a deal between the government and opposition-linked President Lech Kaczynski that ended weeks of squabbling.

    The squabbling was over opposition demands for additional regulation guaranteeing Poland's sovereignty within the union.

    The final ratification now rests with the president, who has said he will sign it.

    The Lisbon Treaty, which replaces the European Union constitution scuppered by French and Dutch voters in 2005 referenda, has to be ratified by all 27 member states if it is to take effect by the 2009 target.