Saying No to a European Constitution: Dutch Revolt, Enigma or Pragmatism?

Zeitschrift für Staats - und Europawissenschaften, Vol. 3, Iss. 4, pp. 594-619, June 2, 2006

26 Pages Posted: 7 Aug 2008 Last revised: 10 Nov 2009

See all articles by Bernard Steunenberg

Bernard Steunenberg

Institute of Public Administration, Campus Den Haag

Theo A. J. Toonen

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Wim J. M. Voermans

Leiden University - Leiden Law School

Date Written: August 7, 2008

Abstract

On 1 June 2005, the Dutch voters said no to the ratification of the "European Constitution" with a clear majority of 62% (at a turnout rate of 63%). To many domestic as well as international observers, this result came as a surprise. After describing the run-up to the Dutch referendum and the campaign for it, this contribution reviews the various explanations that have been presented to explain the outcome and tries to put the events in a broader context. On the basis of these findings for the Dutch case, the authors formulate a perspective on how to move on from here with the European constitutionalisation process.

Keywords: Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe, European Constitution, referendum, Dutch referendum, plebiscite, ratification, European constitutionalisation process

JEL Classification: R38, K10, K30, K40

Suggested Citation

Steunenberg, Bernard and Toonen, Theo A. J. and Voermans, Wim, Saying No to a European Constitution: Dutch Revolt, Enigma or Pragmatism? (August 7, 2008). Zeitschrift für Staats - und Europawissenschaften, Vol. 3, Iss. 4, pp. 594-619, June 2, 2006 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1210110

Bernard Steunenberg (Contact Author)

Institute of Public Administration, Campus Den Haag ( email )

P.O. Box 13228
Den Haag, 2501EE
Netherlands

Theo A. J. Toonen

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Wim Voermans

Leiden University - Leiden Law School ( email )

P.O. Box 9520
2300 RA Leiden, NL-2300RA
Netherlands

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