Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende’s three-party coalition formally withdrew legislation for ratifying the treaty on the new European Union Constitution in Parliament on Thursday, a day after the electorate resoundingly rejected the Constitution in a referendum.
Balkenende made the announcement ahead of a debate in the Lower House on the crushing 62% rejection of the Constitution in the plebiscite, the first ever in The Netherlands.
Parliament has rejected an application from the minority Green-Left Party for a formal inquiry into why the campaign to approve the EU treaty had failed so abysmally, despite endorsement by virtually the entire political establishment.
Balkenende’s Christian Democrats, their Liberal allies and the small D66 party in the governing coalition said there is no point to an inquiry.
Despite the crushing no vote, Balkenende said there are no plans for ministers to resign or for the Cabinet to be reshuffled.
Dutch politicians were taken by surprise by Wednesday’s emphatic vote and the high 63% turnout.
Balkenende expressed ”great disappointment”, but added the result was ”an unmistakable signal”.
Analysts said the vote went against the Constitution because of concerns over the loss of Dutch sovereignty and the rapid pace of change in the EU.
There is also widespread anger at the inflation that followed the introduction of the euro and at the fact that Dutch are the largest per capita contributors to EU funds, despite being only the fifth-richest country in the union.
Looming membership for Turkey is also causing concern in a country with a large unassimilated Muslim minority of Moroccan and Turkish origin.
These fears rose sharply following the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh in November last year after he had criticised Islamic customs regarding women.
Political leaders called for a period of ”marking time” and ”reflection” on Europe.
The conservative Telegraaf said the Dutch electorate tossed the Constitution into the wastepaper basket, while the Algemeen Dagblad said Dutch voters delivered the final mercy blow to the ratification process. — Sapa-DPA