About that other referendum …

The 2016 Dutch and British referendums may be the start of a trend towards direct democracy and away from representative democracy in Europe; that may be a natural response to the sense of alienation between electorates and political elites. But with rare exceptions, however good the intentions of those who propose them, referendums have unexpected consequences. They can easily be hijacked by demagogues. The Dutch referendum, like the British one, risks making both the EU and its eastern neighbourhood less stable.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Dutch Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement referendum, 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-ukraine-european-union-association-agreement-referendum-2016/

ESO: Background information: Dutch to hold stormy referendum on EU-Ukraine deal http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-to-hold-stormy-referendum-on-eu-ukraine-deal/

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