Regards, Ivan
Posted on 03/10/2005 2:46:04 PM PST by MadIvan
Cynicism has taken root in one of the European Union's founding members
EUROPEAN flags flutter in the freezing wind outside the bars in the marketplace, shops do brisk business in euros and the monument of metal Euro stars stretches skyward above the slogan: “We must move beyond nation states.”
Maastricht, the small Dutch town on the borders of Belgium and Germany where the treaty that gave birth to the euro was signed, displays its European credentials proudly.
But, while the symbols remain in place, a strange thing is happening to the people who live here: they are starting to sound Eurosceptic.
“It’s just too bureaucratic, too big. The EU and the people are too far apart,” a grey-haired woman said as she scuttled along the cobbled pedestrian streets, lined with traditional Dutch gabled houses. “It gets bigger, bigger, bigger.”
The Netherlands, one of the six founding members of the European Union and currently holder of the EU presidency, has always taken pride in being a good European, scoring higher than any other country, apart from Luxembourg, in terms of public support for the EU. It is proud to have hosted the Treaty of Maastricht, which created the last great European project, the single currency. But now, in an extraordinary about-turn, the Netherlands may scupper the next great EU project, the European constitution.
The Government has announced that a referendum on the constitution will take place on June 1. It will be the first time that Dutch citizens are asked what they think of the EU.
While international attention has been focused on the French referendum, just three days earlier on May 29, the Dutch are far more likely to slam on the brakes of the constitutional juggernaut. Polls in France still show a majority in favour of the constitution, but the Government in The Hague has been shocked to find that a majority of its citizens are opposed, and by no small margin.
A recent poll was telling. It showed that 42 per cent of Dutch would choose to vote “no”, against 28 per cent who plan to vote “yes”. The Netherlands is the only founding member of the EU in which opinion polls suggest that the constitution will be rejected.
Outside a café in the main square in Maastricht, a troupe of actors enjoying a midmorning rest recount their grievances against the Union. Oda Selbos, with flowing red hair, said: “The euro is a big issue. Everything has doubled in price. When you went to Spain, it was nice to have a different currency. I want to have my guilder back.”
Frederick Brom declared that he was opposed to the EU harmonising everything. “In the EU, everything becomes the same, and that’s a real pity. When I go to France, I want to eat French cheese made by a farmer in his cellar, but with hygiene standards, everything becomes the same.”
The Dutch also have particular financial grievances about the EU, because they contribute more per capita than any other country. The Government is angry that, while it has imposed strict controls on public borrowing to adhere to the bloc’s Stability and Growth Pact, which underpins the euro, France and Germany broke the rules, apparently with impunity.
Voters also have concerns about the economic impact of the euro. Xavier Schilling, an insurance manager, said: “A lot of people in Holland at first thought the constitution was a good thing. Now they worry because the economy is not doing that well.”
There is widespread opposition to the European Commission’s decision to let Turkey join the EU, which would give 70 million Muslims the right to live and work in Western Europe. These fears are being given voice by the maverick politician Geert Wilders, whose opposition to radical Islam, Turkey and the constitution has propelled him ahead of the Government in the polls.
In a recent speech in Rotterdam, Mr Wilders said: “The political elite wants to admit Turkey to the Union, an Islamic land of millions, that will have an enormous influence on the federal superstate. Because of the new European constitution, Turkey will have more influence on Dutch legislation than the Netherlands itself. It can’t become crazier than this.”
The Government hopes that, with the Netherland’s two big neighbours — France and Germany — likely to ratify the constitution just before their own referendum, the Dutch will feel too isolated to reject it. They have launched a massive TV advertising campaign to get their message across.
But Maurice de Hond, the Netherlands’ most prominent pollster, said that the referendum on the constitution was likely to become a protest vote about the direction of the EU. “People are voting about everything but the constitution,” he said. “They are voting about the euro, about the ten new countries, about Turkey, about the Government. Turkey is a big issue and a much clearer issue than the constitution, which they have never read.”
In theory, the European constitution has to be ratified by all twenty-five EU member states, nine of which are having referendums. European leaders are now asking themselves what will happen if a country votes “no”. It is generally accepted that, if France says “no”, the constitution is effectively dead; and, if Britain says “no”, the UK will have to renegotiate its relationship with the EU.
But what if the Netherlands, always one of its biggest cheerleaders, says “no”? One Dutch politician said: “If Britain rejects the constitution, Britain has a problem. But, if the Netherlands rejects the constitution, then the constitution has a problem.”
THE END OF THE AFFAIR
# 1948 The Hague plays host to a meeting for the International Co-ordination of Movements for the Unification of Europe, chaired by Winston Churchill
# 1951 The Netherlands joins the European Coal and Steel Community with Belgium, West Germany, France, Italy and Luxembourg
# 1957 The Netherlands is a founding member of European Economic Community
# 1985 The Netherlands signs the Schengen Agreement abolishing border controls with France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany
# 1992 The Treaty of Maastricht is signed, creating a European single currency
# 1997 The Treaty of Amsterdam is signed, enhancing EU powers over law and order and foreign affairs
# 1999 The Netherlands is one of eleven countries that join the euro
# 2004 Ben Bot, the Dutch Foreign Minister, makes a speech attacking excessive interference of the EU in national affairs
# February 2005 The Dutch Government announces a referendum on the EU constitution
# March 2005 Opinion polls show that almost half of the Dutch oppose the constitution
# June 1, 2005 Dutch referendum on the constitution
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
The Dutch will have to get in line in terms of who lost faith in Europe first.
And a Dutch ping, if I may...
The Dutch can move to America. Many have, there is room. Forget the EC, it will never be a monolithic power.
"I want to eat French cheese made by a farmer in his cellar, but with hygiene standards, everything becomes the same"
Shame on the EU, imposing hygiene standards on the French... :-)
That said, I agree with you. I think even Chiraq is getting worried about the French constitution referendum.
I supported the Economists early view that a consitution was exactly what the EU needed. A clear delineation of EU's powers versus the national states etc. Instead we got the monstrosity that, last I've heard they sent into orbit.
Cheers.
LOL. Get used to that. Socialism always leads to corruption and then tyranny.
RE: they are starting to sound Eurosceptic.
An inevitability! :=)
ping
Deep Dan Rather voice "Courage!"
Anyway, I've always liked the Dutch, spent lots of fun time there.
Yep, half my bloodline..............
About bloody time! I say lets have open economic borders but none of this EU parliament and constitution crap.
Why do people say they don't like nation state but at the same time work hard to create a new bigger nation state called Europe?
I hope the tide is turning but I'm afraid it may be too late.
Sad!
Not that the dollar has been doing great, but what happens to the euro if the EU falls apart?
Geen problem.
Dank u wel.
Groetjes,
Ivan
“We must move beyond nation states.”
This is political correctness gone mad. This is the fatal flaw of their idea. This is like saying you must move beyond your family and encompass the whole world in your thinking. Reality has limits. People have to think in smaller measures or else you become overwhelmed.
This is why the giant housing projects in big cities failed. People could never feel the personal connection and just gave up and no longer cared if there was trash or urine in the hall or elevators etc. Same applies to Europe.
People need a personal or national identity to connect to. The world is too big, we need smaller units to identify with.
If you can't care about something managable, you will care about nothing.
IT goes back to being the Deutch Mark
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