Dutch lose their faith in Europe

jp · 11-03-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

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.

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.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...9658_1,00.html

I think the tide is turning

mkpdavies · 11-03-2005, 10:01 AM

Always liked the Dutch!

11-03-2005, 10:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,103 Party: Libertarian Party	Always liked the Dutch! __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

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