Dutch rule out EU treaty referendum - by David Charter
A referendum on the latest EU treaty was ruled out yesterday by the Dutch Cabinet. Jan Peter Balkenende, the Prime Minister, decided not to call a rerun of the referendum in which the Dutch electorate rejected the proposed EU constitution two years ago and, along with French voters, sent it back to the drawing board. The Dutch parliament could yet insist on a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty, just as it did in 2005 when Mr Balkenende also vowed to rule one out. A majority of MPs in the Dutch Lower House are understood to be in favour. Mr Balkenende was following advice from the Dutch Council of State, which ruled that a referendum was not necessary because the treaty was no longer a constitutional document. Ireland is the only country to have declared that it will hold a referendum, but Denmark will also consider one after the signing of the treaty by EU leaders at their summit in December. President Sarkozy has said that France will ratify the new treaty.
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