International

On Tuesday the SP expressed its 100% support for the EU Citizens’ Initiative. According to SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel, the government must put an end to the creeping transfer of powers and organise a referendum before this goes any further. .

‘Democracy isn’t for the fearful, as politicians used to say,’ said Van Bommel. ‘But when it comes to European politics, fear rules. This goes for the Netherlands, as much as anywhere. Existing powers are being stretched in order to avoid a treaty amendment and the referenda which would follow. That’s bad for democracy and in the end it’s bad for European cooperation.’

Van Bommel presented two motions on Tuesday, calling on the government to put important transfers of sovereignty to the people in a referendum. ‘An EU Treaty amendment looks like a logical occasion to consult the public as to whether they are indeed in favour of a more federal Europe,’ he argued. ‘All polls say they don’t. In addition we are now being forced, without a treaty amendment, to present our budget to Brussels and we could be fined if we don’t carry out reforms of the labour market, health care and pensions. In relation to this sort of far-reaching transfer of sovereignty there has to be a referendum.’