-Caveat Lector-
"A senior member of the Liberal party objected strenuously that this
measure, if passed, would give Dutch citizens too much power over their
government."
Entire Dutch Cabinet Resigns
By ANTHONY DEUTSCH
.c The Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- The entire Dutch Cabinet resigned Wednesday
after the ruling coalition split over whether to give citizens the right to
vote in referendums.
Prime Minister Wim Kok didn't say if he would form a new Cabinet, but he
hinted that new parliamentary elections probably would be necessary to
resolve the crisis, saying: ``The voters must have their say.''
Kok, Queen Beatrix and party leaders were expected to meet over the next few
days on what to do next.
``In view of the situation, the ministers ... decided to jointly resign,''
Kok said in a letter to the queen. Later, in a brief and somber nationally
televised address to Parliament, he called the collapse ``a bitter pill and a
terrible loss.''
The crisis comes at an awkward time for the Netherlands, which is a member of
NATO and has committed forces to the alliance's air campaign against
Yugoslavia.
``The Netherlands is maybe not formally at war, but practically speaking is
at war, and many will ask: Is this the right moment for a Cabinet crisis? I
would answer no,'' said Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, leader of the Christian
Democratic Appeal, the leading opposition party.
The collapse of the government -- formed just last July after parliamentary
elections were held a year ago -- began before dawn, when Parliament's upper
chamber voted down a bill to let the Dutch public vote in ballot measures.
The bill was a longtime goal of the Democrats 66 party, the junior member of
the three-party ruling coalition, which also includes the larger and more
influential Labor and Liberal parties.
It would have permitted citizens to decide certain economic and social issues
through a referendum, such as whether to join the European Union's common
currency. Issues of taxation and the military would be exempt from public
votes.
Democrats 66 resigned its three Cabinet posts in protest after the bill
failed. The Cabinet met during the day in an effort to thwart a collapse, but
the talks were fruitless, and ministers of the right-leaning Liberal Party
and Kok's left-of-center Labor Party also quit.
The Liberal and Labor parties have a large-enough majority to continue ruling
as a two-party government. But the centrist Democrats 66 party has often
soothed tense relations between its two larger partners in parliament.
After debating all night and into the early morning, only 49 lawmakers in the
75-member upper chamber voted for the bill. It needed 50 votes -- a
two-thirds majority -- to pass.
The Liberal, Labor and Democrats 66 parties had agreed when the current
government was formed to take up the issue of referendum voting rights.
But early Wednesday, Hans Wiegel, a senior member of the Liberal Party, voted
against the measure. He argued the measure was flawed because it would give
the public too much power over government policy, particularly in issues
involving European and international affairs.
All other Liberal Party members of the upper chamber voted in favor of the
bill, despite earlier warnings that they would block it. Such a drama was
unusual in the largely figurehead upper chamber, where a vote hasn't caused a
government to fall since 1907.
Coalition governments have ruled for the past 80 years in the Netherlands,
where no single party has been able to get enough seats in Parliament to take
outright control.
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
