Voting for Europe: Lessons from Dutch Referendums?

Abstract

This article discusses the events before and after the Dutch 'no' to the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe. It analyses the manifold causes and considers the consequences. The paper argues that the Dutch 'no' is - in a sense - a protest against the process of integration by stealth, i.e. the forging of constitutional law of a Union without directly consulting nor involving the population. At the end of the contribution the question is raised whether Dutch politicians or the Dutch government have taken the lessons of the referendum to heart. The recent debate leading up to the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon raises some doubts in this respect.

Keywords: European constitution, referendum, Dutch referendum, Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe, Lisbon Treaty, ratification, European constitutional law, constitutional law, plebiscites

JEL Classification: R38, K10, K30, K40