Quote:
Meanwhile, concerns that the charter is now close to death helped drive the euro down to seven-month lows against the dollar and unsettled stocks and bonds.
The Netherlands is one of the bloc's founding members and is a nation accustomed to saying yes -- on such matters as Amsterdam's infamous sex parlors and legalizing drugs.
But the murder almost seven months ago of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh and the earlier killing of populist politician Pim Fortuyn prompted a major rethink in this once most liberal of countries.
A suspected Islamist militant is charged with Van Gogh's death. But the Dutch public appears to feel threatened and poised to rebel.
"The whole referendum is not about the constitution. It may be more about the ... euro. Some people are angry about that, so they will now vote for what they wanted to vote five years ago," says political analyst Maurice de Hond.
This piece is contradictory.
A lot of people who vote against do that because they see the liberal politics of Holland, regarding drugs and euthanasia for instance,
endangered. That is what is perceived the Dutch identity, that they feel that needs to be preserved.
A point often made by the protagonists is that the Constitution will help
improve the fight against terrorrism, so why would you vote against it if that's your major concern?
In a poll I saw on tv yesterday Turkey and the Euro seemed of minor importance. 2% votes against the Const. because of Turkey and 4% thinks the Euro is the major issue. (sorry, only have a Dutch link
Dutch link for that).
And I thought it was the dollar that was at a low?