Myass.
But the snobby elitists are certainly freaked out!
Can it be that the nations are sick and tired of their cultures being watered down
and taken over by the flood of Mohammedanism?
Posted on 06/01/2005 4:16:36 PM PDT by bill1952
AMSTERDAM (Reuters)
The European Union was in disarray on Thursday after the Netherlands followed France in resoundingly rejecting the bloc's new constitution, possibly stalling future expansion and disrupting decision making.
The rejection of the charter by two of the six countries that founded the bloc in the 1950s could deal a fatal blow to a treaty designed to make the EU run more smoothly following its enlargement from 15 to 25 states last year.
The votes also cast doubt on the EU's hopes for a stronger foreign policy and its plans to expand further to the western Balkans, Turkey and Ukraine, and raised questions about its appetite for economic reform amid mounting global competition.
The Dutch "No" vote of 61.6 percent was even more decisive than the nearly 55 percent scored by French opponents of the treaty. Turnout was also a strong 62.8 percent, well above the 39 percent in last year's European parliament election.
EU leaders urged member states to press on and ratify the constitution, but analysts said they should admit the document is dead. EU leaders are due to decide how to proceed when they meet for a regular summit on June 16-17.
"To have such a very, very large turnout after the French vote but also to have such an overwhelming "No" is really crushing for the constitutional treaty," said Richard Whitman from the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London.
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who was criticized for a lacklustre "Yes" campaign, could face a parliamentary vote of confidence on Thursday but it has little chance of success. Balkenende has said he would not quit.
Latvia's parliament is expected to approve the treaty with a big majority on Thursday, meaning 10 members representing almost half the EU's 454 million citizens will have approved it.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called on member states to proceed with ratification and not preempt their summit meeting with "unilateral decisions" before then.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Britain faces a decision next week on whether to suspend or go ahead with legislation to pave the way for a referendum.
Poland said on Wednesday it would decide how and when to ratify the constitution after the EU summit. It had planned a referendum in October, but the opposition has demanded a delay.
The Czech Republic said on Wednesday it would seek an extension of the November 2006 deadline for ratification to give countries that vote "No" more time to reconsider.
Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker voiced concerns on Wednesday about the July 10 referendum on the treaty in his broadly pro-Europe state after the Dutch "No."
"I myself and others must plead the European cause with lots of vigor," he told reporters in Brussels.
Juncker, whose country holds the EU presidency, also said the Dutch and French rejections do not alter the economic fundamentals underpinning the euro, despite the single currency touching a new eight-month low after the Dutch result.
The euro has fallen by nearly 10 percent from its level in mid-March, when markets began factoring in the possibility of national rejections of the treaty.
Former European Central Bank chief Wim Duisenberg agreed with Juncker that the euro should not suffer lasting damage, but said the votes would be a blow to economic reforms in the bloc.
"The political uncertainty created will hamper the efforts in Europe to introduce more structural reforms which are so very, very necessary," Duisenberg told CNN television. "It will take us a couple of years at least to reassemble ourselves."
The result is also likely to make it harder for EU leaders to reach a deal on the long-term EU budget, already difficult because of a looming early German election.
Dutch Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm signaled the Netherlands would toughen its demands for a cap to the EU budget after the "No" vote and push for a cut to the Netherlands' per capita contribution, which is the highest of all 25 member states.
The votes could cast doubt on the EU's plans to expand further. Romania and Bulgaria are likely to join in 2007 as their accession treaties have already been signed but membership bids by Turkey, Ukraine and Balkan hopefuls might be disrupted.
"Enlargement is going to be one of the big casualties of this decision," said Mendeltje van Keulen, analyst at the Clingendael Institute near The Hague.
"Romania and Bulgaria have probably just got in time ... but for Croatia or Turkey it's a different story."
From the MSM, no less.
Are you Freepers getting this?
It's time to full court press the MSM and forstall the Hildabeast's attempt to take over power here.
Don't relax now.
"Europe in crisis"
It's reassuring to see things getting back to normal.
So several European nations don't want the EU constitution, and this is a sign of the apocalypse? The continent isn't going to vanish like Atlantis just because you couldn't sell a bad deal. Suck it up, Euro-elites.
I remember when our 4th Inf Div was waiting off the coast of Turkey for the go-ahead to launch an attack from the North against Saddam Hussein's forces. The Turks hemmed and hawed. We upped the ante with offers of cash and debt relief. The French countered by reminding the Turks that if they went with us then EU membership would be at stake.
So the Turks eventually went with the French.
Sucks to be them.
Yawn.... So, what's on TV tonight?
Hmmmm.... Structural Reforms... Let's see, could that be anything like MARXISM!!! And yet sooo very very necessary.
Glad to see some common sense in Europe
Even Gladder to see Chirac embarassed :)
It think everyone agrees that if the 4th can come in from Turkey that the Baathists would have been caught in a pincher that might have pacified the Sunni triangle then and there. So men are dying today because of Turkish duplicity.
Europe is certainly in crisis... but the EU constitution being defeated is the least of their problems. How about the crisis of a G-dless society? How about the crippling economic crisis of the past 4-5 years? How about the crisis of rising Islamic influence?
LOL!
For the benefit of public health, it is best to avoid Reuters.
Probably not -- I think he was referring to plans to make things less socialistic. The politicians in the individual countries don't have the cojones to take away some of the featherbedding and excessive welfare benefits, but hoped that "Europe" would force them to do so, and thus take the heat away from themselves. "The Devil made me do it."
But the snobby elitists are certainly freaked out!
Can it be that the nations are sick and tired of their cultures being watered down
and taken over by the flood of Mohammedanism?
The euro needed a dropkick. I only wish it had happened sooner. Amsterdam is the most expensive place I have ever been. It is ridiculous for public transportation to run about 60 dollars from the airport to the city. One way.
And that's where it was about a week ago when I was there.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.