DUTCH HESITATE OVER WHETHER TO HOLD REFERENDUM ON EU CONSTITUTION.

The Netherlands may ultimately decide not to hold a referendum on the draft EU Constitution if the French people vote to reject the new treaty. Quoting well-informed sources, the ANP news agency said the Dutch government would consider the move on the grounds that it would serve no purpose if, on May 29, French voters say No to the Constitutional Treaty. The referendum in the Netherlands is scheduled for June 1. But several opposition parties have criticised this scenario, arguing either that the government should not rule out a vote approved by parliament, or that it would in any case be useful to gauge opinion in the Netherlands if, following France's rejection, it were necessary to renegotiate the Constitutional Treaty.

Unlike in France, the referendum and the Constitution do not appear to be particularly controversial in the Netherlands. The press and politicians have made little reference to it. In general, the majority of parties support the EU Constitution. According to an opinion poll published on March 16 by the government's information services (RVD), some 76% of those questioned indicate that they are more or less certain to cast their vote, with 44% indicating they would vote Yes and 23% No. However, Sjerp van der Vaart, director of the European Parliament Bureau in the Netherlands, expressed reservations to AFP regarding this survey. Other observers...