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Regarding the Dutch `Nee' to the European Constitution

Author

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  • Marcel Lubbers

    (Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands, M.Lubbers@uu.nl)

Abstract

In June 2005, 61.5% of the Dutch voted `nee' in the referendum on the European constitution. In the present contribution I test hypotheses from the national identity, utilitarian and political approaches to explain this voting behaviour. I collected data in the Netherlands to test whether one of those approaches has been decisive in explaining the referendum outcome. I also provide information about whether specific EU evaluations from these approaches explain the voting behaviour, thus bringing in the discussion on the importance of domestic political evaluations (second-order election effects). I also test hypotheses on which theoretical approach explains differences between social categories in rejecting the constitution. My results show that specifically EU evaluations in particular accounted for the `no' vote, although in conjunction with a strong effect from domestic political evaluations. I also find evidence for `party-following behaviour' irrespective of people's attitudes. Utilitarian explanations determine the `no' vote less well than political or national identity explanations. The strongest impact on voting 'no' came from a perceived threat from the EU to Dutch culture.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcel Lubbers, 2008. "Regarding the Dutch `Nee' to the European Constitution," European Union Politics, , vol. 9(1), pages 59-86, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:9:y:2008:i:1:p:59-86
    DOI: 10.1177/1465116507085957
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Claes H. De Vreese & Hajo G. Boomgaarden, 2006. "Media Effects on Public Opinion about the Enlargement of the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 419-436, June.
    4. MARK FRANKLIN & MICHAEL MARSH & LAUREN McLAREN, 1994. "Uncorking the Bottle: Popular Opposition to European Unification in the Wake of Maastricht," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 455-472, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard Hyman, 2010. "Trade Unions and ‘Europe’: Are the Members out of Step?," LEQS – LSE 'Europe in Question' Discussion Paper Series 14, European Institute, LSE.
    2. Hyman, Richard, 2009. "Trade unions and “Europe”: are the members out of step?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 39848, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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