Dutch Reject European
Charter
in Another Blow to
Region's Unity
By MARLISE SIMONS ,
NYTimes on the Web, June 1, 2005
THE HAGUE, -- Dutch voters
today overwhelmingly rejected a constitution for Europe, following France in
undermining the region's goal of playing a stronger role in the world and
deepening a crisis for the 25-member European Union.
Initial surveys of voters leaving the Dutch polling places today indicated that
63 percent voted against the constitution, a stronger rejection even than in
France, where 55 percent said no to the treaty on Sunday. Thirty-seven
percent of voters here approved.
The double blow could prove fatal to the European charter, which was drafted in
an effort to streamline decision-making in an expanded union.
"The Dutch people won against this crazy constitution," said Tiny Kox, a member
of the small Socialist Party, which was pivotal in the campaign opposing
ratification.
Voter turnout was extremely strong, at 62 percent. The referendum was not
binding, but there was a consensus in Parliament that lawmakers would respect
the outcome if more than 30 percent of those eligible cast a vote.
Gerda Verbrug, a member of the Christian Democrat Party, who had campaigned in
favor of the constitution, called the result disappointing but said, "What is
fantastic is that Europe lives -- look at the high turnout."
Before the referendum, the Dutch surprised the rest of Europe by showing greater
animosity toward the constitution than expected in this once stalwart
pro-European country, one of the six founding members of the union.
The constitution has so far been ratified by nine countries, but it needs to be
ratified by all 25 member states to take effect. The European Union will
have to decide whether to abandon the 448-article treaty or press on with the
process of ratification. The issue will undoubtedly dominate a European
summit meeting being held in Brussels on June 16 and 17.
The double 'no' vote is likely to have a strong impact on other countries
planning ratification referendums. Britain, which faces a decision next
week on whether to suspend or go ahead with enabling legislation to hold a
referendum, and Denmark have already suggested that they may rethink their
plans. Luxembourg, Ireland and the Czech Republic, which said today that
it would seek an extension of the deadline for ratification, had also planned to
put the treaty to a referendum rather than ratifying it by parliamentary action.
Poland has also been considering a plebiscite.
While voting here continued under sunny skies throughout the day, Prime Minister
Jan Peter Balkenende said he was still optimistic. "The question is, do we
want to have progress today or do we choose a standstill, and for me the choice
is obvious," he said.
People exiting the polls expressed mixed feelings. Pierre Wind, a
well-known chef in The Hague, said he was not against Europe but against this
constitution. He said that it would allow the union to have more and more
power over daily life, leading the country to lose its identity.
"Countries are like restaurants," Mr. Wind said. "We could be turning into
a chain, like McDonald's."
In the opposite camp, Johan Nauw, a computer specialist, beamed as he said he
had voted yes.
"We have to stand up and stay in the game," he said. "If we say no, other
countries may just marginalize us."
According to prereferendum opinion polls, instead of hurtling forward, Dutch no
voters wanted a pause to take stock of the rapid changes in their society,
collecting more members and giving away more sovereignty. Many of the
Dutch oppose membership talks with Turkey.
The mood was low key as this country of 16 million took part in what was the
first national referendum in the Netherlands. The procedure was unusually
simple for voters used to tangling with many political parties -- they simply
had to press a button to vote yes or no.
Unlike France, where the prime minister was dismissed after the negative treaty
vote, no resignations are expected here. And in further contrast to
France, it was not the government that had called the referendum, but
Parliament. And it did so against the explicit wishes of Prime Minister
Balkenende and his cabinet.
That explains, at least in part, the government's low-key role in the campaign,
in which it confined itself largely to providing information. That, in
turn, allowed well-organized naysayers to seize the initiative.
But another factor may explain the government's fairly lackluster campaign:
It is not saying so publicly, but it does not like the constitution much itself.
Dutch diplomats working in Brussels said that during the drafting of the
constitution, the Dutch delegation felt frustrated because most of their
proposals or aspirations were ignored. Those included the creation of the
position of a future European president, which was approved, as well as the
surrender of more judicial authority to the Union, which the Dutch argued
against.
According to friends of Mr. Balkenende, who is a practicing Christian, he was
deeply disappointed that in the final text the drafters did not want Europe to
declare its Judeo-Christian roots.
Dutch voters, who knew little about the drafting process, had different
objections. Among their main complaints, reflected in opinion polls, was a
feeling of being pushed around by the big countries and a belief that the
decision-making process in Brussels lacks transparency and democracy.
The union's largest net per capita contributor, the Dutch resent that they stand
to lose power within the expanded group of 25 members under the constitution's
new voting rules.
The Dutch, including their government, have also loudly criticized France and
Germany for flouting budget rules while the Netherlands and other countries were
pressed to make painful cutbacks during recessions.
In their decisive dismissal of the charter, Dutch no voters ignored the advice
of the main political parties, the labor unions and much of the press that
campaigned in favor.
Maurice de Hond, a leading poll-taker, said that some no voters had apparently
taken courage from the French rejection because, he said, it relieved the Dutch
from the blame of having ruined the constitution.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the president of the European Commission, José
Manuel Barroso, urged member states today not to make "unilateral decisions" on
the future of the constitution, Reuters reported from Brussels.
"Let's wait for the result in the Netherlands," Mr. Barroso said at a news
conference, "but whatever the result is, what I will ask all members of the
European Union and European leaders is to avoid any unilateral initiative before
the European Council" -- the summit talks being held in mid-June.
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