Wednesday the Dutch electorate was given its first ever opportunity to weigh in on the EU.

DUTCH VOTERS REJECT EU CONSTITUTION

AMSTERDAM, June 1, 2005 (AP) - With nearly all votes counted, the charter lost 62 percent to 38 percent, an even worse defeat than the 55 percent "no" vote delivered in a French referendum Sunday.

[The NEEs] feared that the Netherlands, a nation of 16 million people, would be overwhelmed by a European superstate even though the Dutch pay more per capita than any other country into the collective EU kitty.

Early in the day, Balkenende had said he was optimistic the Dutch would defy the pollsters and vote on the merits of the constitution rather than their general feeling of malaise.

Mr. Balkenende is either a dreamy politician or a completely clueless booster. People do not vote abstractions at the ballot, they vote their interests.

"The Dutch people have spoken tonight. It is a clear result. Naturally I am very disappointed," Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said in conceding defeat in his campaign for ratification.

Although the referendum was consultative, the high turnout and the decisive margin left no room for the Dutch parliament to turn its back on the people's verdict. The parliament meets Thursday to discuss the results.

Had the NEEs been a thin victory, well, Mr. Balkenende could plead there was really no obligation to countenance the wishes of pesky reactionaries.

EUROPEAN LEADERS MAY SCRAP CONSTITUTION

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, June 2, 2005 (AP) - European leaders faced the possibility [sic] of having to scrap the proposed EU constitution Thursday after Dutch voters rejected it by a massive margin, voicing their concern over dwindling national identity in a rapidly expanding union and increasingly powerful bureaucrats.

EU leaders have stressed that the constitution — which needs approval from all 25 EU nations either by referendum or parliamentary vote to take effect — cannot be renegotiated.

Elsewhere, the French press celebrates them-tooism:

Le Figaro:

Thanks to the Netherlands, there is no longer a 'French exception.' The verdict of May 29 (France's referendum) is no longer an isolated insult to Europe. ... This second rejection confirms the scale of the European crisis.

La Tribune:

From now on the 'black sheep' of Europe is not alone. And who is to say whether more lost ewes are not going to join the flock some time soon?

Libération:

[The Dutch result] is part two of the disaster movie whose first episode was the French vote.

The French may have voted NON, but, you see, it is the Dutch whose irremissible NEE kills the constitution. The French vote, you see, was the thoughtful verdict of a nation of philosophes. The Dutch NEE is a nation of merchants voting their malaise. (Pause.) You see.

UPDATE 06.02.05:

DUTCH GOVERNMENT WON'T RATIFY CONSTITUTION

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, June 2, 2005 (AP) - Chastened by the voters, the Dutch government on Thursday withdrew a plan to ratify the European constitution...

Europe has raced ahead toward integration without consulting their peoples, [Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter] Balkenende told a sullen Dutch parliament, where more than 85 percent of the 150 members had backed the constitution.

Now, Brussels has to reconnect with the people, he said. "More attention for the citizens, fewer big words, and no more steps forward until there is support for them."