Despite the advisory nature of the referendum in the Netherlands, the political parties represented in the country's parliament have pledged to take the voters' will into account if turnout exceeds 30%. It turned out to be a record 62.8%. Apparently, the Dutch parliament will not ratify the EU constitution. However, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende told parliamentarians that the voting results are directed "not against Europe" - simply "people are asking what is happening to their sovereignty and identity."
Two crushing failures of the EU constitution within one week have called into question the future of the EU. One of the main reasons for the rejection is considered to be the dissatisfaction of EU old-timers with the rapid expansion of the Union. In 2004, ten countries joined the community at once, mostly from Eastern Europe.
The EU has a mechanism for repeat referendums, and the ratification process of the EU constitution will continue. Previous experience of ratifying the document in nine states (Germany, Austria, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Slovakia and Spain) showed that without a nationwide vote this procedure goes faster. Parliaments usually rubber-stamp the EU constitution without problems. Thus, the Saeima of Latvia ratified the EU constitution by an overwhelming majority. However, the enthusiasm of the Eastern European newcomers is still very high, so the results of a referendum among Latvian citizens would certainly have coincided with the results of the vote in parliament.
Referendums are planned in seven more countries. Poland favors holding a referendum, with 51% of Poles polled in favor of adopting the EU constitution. Czech President Vaclav Klaus called the continuation of the ratification process "pointless" but promised not to veto attempts to hold a referendum or a parliamentary vote on the matter.
In Denmark, a referendum is scheduled for September 27, and a majority of Danes want it to take place. But, as recent polls have shown, while before the referendums in France and Holland the Danes supported the draft document, now 62% of those polled reject it. London has not yet given a clear answer to the calls from Paris and Berlin to continue the ratification process.
The Minister for Social Affairs of the Italian government, Roberto Maroni, also calls for stopping the ratification process of the EU constitution. Italy approved the constitution in parliament, but now Minister Maroni proposes holding a referendum on the country's exit from the euro zone. The single European currency, in his words, is "some kind of disaster."
In Germany, too, criticism is already being heard about the ratification of the EU constitution in the Bundestag. The leader of the opposition Free Democratic Party, Guido Westerwelle, insists on a plebiscite. "The final word must remain with ordinary citizens," he stressed. "In such important matters, one cannot delegate one's powers to politicians." In Germany, as in the Netherlands, the law does not provide for referendums. But Dutch parliamentarians made a special decision to hold a nationwide poll on the ratification of the EU constitution.
The search for ways to save the EU's basic law is in full swing. On Friday, June 10, Gerhard Schröder will visit Jacques Chirac in Paris. On June 13, the Chancellor will receive British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Berlin. A coordinated plan must be developed by the EU summit, which will take place on June 16-17 in Brussels. Let us recall that the constitution will become the basic law of a united Europe only after all 25 member countries ratify it. However, the French president, who said "no" to the EU constitution, avoids discussing the possibility of a repeat vote. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has already said that there will be no new referendum in his country.