D-Day for Europe as Dutch vote

The Times ^ | June 1, 2005 | Anthony Browne, Rosemary Bennett, and Charles Bremner

[ml1954]

But I'm afraid the only message the French government and other europeanists are taking from this is that they should never allow the people to decide important questions.

Just like in China, which may be the model the EU is trying to emulate, whether they are aware of it or not.

[colorado tanker]

Did the vote results mean nothing to them?

Chirac is one of those serene souls who is never troubled by the thought that he might be wrong or that a majority should be honored if it disagrees with him.

[ml1954]

Is Chirac and the elite so arrogant that they think they can push this down peoples' throats?

Yes

Did the vote results mean nothing to them?

The vote results mean to them that they shouldn't have gone the referendum route.

[CasearianDaoist]

That is not true. It only takes 1. That was some idiot in Brussels mouthing off.

[ckilmer]

star wars III revenge of the sith had a huge opening in france. its not likely that any frenchmen seeing that movie would not make the connection of the assention of the sith lord to the assention of the brussels bureaucrats.

[Red Sea Swimmer]

C'mon Dutchies !

Stem Nr !

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Abusers are used to their victims accepting what is done to them. They like to shove things down people's throats and to get them to swallow. They feel more powerful when they do this.

When the victim strikes back it is a wonderful thing.

[AFPhys]

All the countries still due to hold referendums — Luxembourg, Ireland, Portugal, Poland, Denmark and the Czech Republic — insist that votes will go ahead.
-------

Nice to see. This will yet be a ved-d-dy intel-esting situation. If they go the way of the French, it will speak volumes.

[AFPhys]

To totally kill this "constitution" off deader than a doornail requires 6 no's. If 1-5 say "no" there is some possibility of renegotiation or something like that. However, given that France & Germany are the two "most influential" (not my belief) of the EUers, France's NO carries almost veto power, as far as I can tell... Not formally, but effectively.

The Dutch "no" by itself, in addition to France's, is going to send them all into a real tizzy.

[clee1]

How great they were? When?

[Cronos]

My opinion of the 6 votes:
Luxembourg: Yes, Ireland: Yes, Portugal: No, Poland: No, Denmark: No and the Czech Republic: Yes

[AFPhys]

I hope Ireland can muster a NO.

[Cronos]

I doubt it -- the Irish seem highly pro-European.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Hi, knighthawk. I remembered you are Dutch. Any comments?