OLD CONSTITUTION, NEW WRAPPING

The European constitution is actually far from dead. Although the constitution was rejected in a referendum by 61,6%, the alternative constitution that is now incubated by the Dutch government is actually quite the same. Members of the opposition and constitution critics are afraid that they will be fooled by the present Dutch government.

Some of the government members emphasize that the new treaty will absolutely be much different than the rejected first version. According to the pro-constitution people the basics of the EU constitution will stay the same, but simpler. To them the problem of the previous constitution was all the extras.

Now one of the Dutch drafters of the first constitution states: ‘we will get something that is not called constitution anymore, but that will not mean that it is not a constitution.’ The critics have a different opinion: ‘The Dutch citizen did not say ‘No’ to the EU flag or the –anthem. But they said no to the changes that will turn Europe into a super state. This cabinet is selling the same thing, but then with a different name. I think we are being screwed grotesquely.’

The opposition is afraid that the Dutch state secretary for European Affairs will laugh at the opposition in the end. They won the referendum, but in the constitution end result will be sort of the same. The drafter agrees totally: ‘the State Secretary is scraping the paint of the wall, but the wall itself will stay.’ more features

May 14, 2007