UK to scrap EU constitution vote if Dutch say 'no' - reports (Forbes)
Posted on 05/30/2005 6:43:58 PM PDT by Cornpone
THE HAGUE - The Netherlands wants the European Union to push on with its new constitution even after France rejected it and hopes Dutch voters will back the treaty in a referendum on Wednesday, a minister said on Monday.
“In a way it’s even more important to go for a vote and to say ’Yes’ after this French ’No’,” European Affairs Minister Atzo Nicolai told Reuters in an interview.
“Most people in the Netherlands don’t want to just follow the French example, perhaps on the contrary, perhaps the people will say: ’Why should we do what France has done? We take our own position and that’s hopefully a ’Yes’.”
Nicolai said politicians still had to learn the lesson of Dutch maverick Pim Fortuyn, who accused the political elite of losing touch with the concerns of ordinary citizens. Fortuyn was murdered three years ago by an animal rights activist.
“I am still optimistic about the outcome in the Netherlands but even then I see a gap in the Netherlands between people and politics,” the minister said.
“The problem of the people is not the constitution and even not specifically Europe as such but rather this vague idea that it’s always decided above my head,” he said.
“We didn’t have enough debate for decades, for a whole generation, a real debate in the Netherlands about Europe.”
Despite the French “No”, Nicolai said other countries should proceed with ratification of the treaty designed to make the bloc of 25 function more smoothly, but admitted the EU was in trouble if the Netherlands also rejected the constitution.
“In the Dutch situation I have absolutely no plans for a second referendum. I don’t see an opportunity for renegotiating,” he said. “If the Netherlands also says ’No’ then we have a big problem for Europe.”
Ping...
"Now that the vote is essentially meaningless, it means even more!"
The upside down screwball logic of a eurinal bureaucrat.
"“I am still optimistic about the outcome in the Netherlands but even then I see a gap in the Netherlands between people and politics,” the minister said."
I do believe his head is in the sand which is good. It will be easier to kick...., well you get my meaning. ;)
Bump for NO!
That was exactly the first I thought after reading the first line: "The Netherlands wants the European Union to push on with its new constitution even after France rejected it and hopes Dutch voters will back the treaty in a referendum on Wednesday, a minister said on Monday. "
It implies the Netherlands and the Dutch voters are two different things!!!!. Unbelievable!!!!.
My second important thought was after reading the last line: "“In the Dutch situation I have absolutely no plans for a second referendum. I don’t see an opportunity for renegotiating,” he said. “If the Netherlands also says ’No’ then we have a big problem for Europe.”
That's what Frace said too. Now that they have a "non", they are re-considering it. They first want to scare people to say "yes" but if they didn't get it, they will keep having referendums until the "yes" win. Then the people will never be given another opportunity to say "no" in the future.
Everybody hates the French, but this is no time to vote 'yes' just to prove you're not French.:)
Brave New World should be required reading for all Europeans.
French voters did the right thing for the wrong reasons.
The Dutch voters can do the right thing for the right reasons, that is why.
bttt
And if that ain't a precious little plea to save his vastly overpaid job, I dunno what is.
Ain't they cute when they grovel?
Notice how they pull the 'hate france' out of the bag when it's necessary?
German citizens did not get to vote on a referendum. The politicians in Berlin voted "yes." The Volk don't seem to notice that they had no voice in the matter.
"French voters did the right thing for the wrong reasons."
My thoughts exactly.
My take on the thing is that France rejected it, not for what we see as the flaws in the package, but basically because the Constitution was "too Anglo-Saxon".
" French voters did the right thing for the wrong reasons."
All I know about french reasons are what our and their media tell us.
If what OUR media says about american reasons for electing bush2 to a second term are any guide, we have no clue what was going on domestically in france.
UK to scrap EU constitution vote if Dutch say 'no' - reports (Forbes)
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