The Hindu : Collapse of Dutch Govt. adds to E.U. woes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 18, 2002

International

International

Collapse of Dutch Govt. adds to E.U. woes

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS OCT. 17. The coalition Government in Holland that came to power less than three months ago, collapsed on Wednesday night, as two key Cabinet Ministers involved in a power struggle abruptly resigned. This makes the Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende's Government the shortest one in Holland since World War Two.

European analysts are hoping that the collapse will not set a nasty precedent, as it has set the stage for a general election. Apart from the serious economic and political repercussions on the domestic front, the collapse adds to the enlargement woes of the European Union.

The centre-right coalition Government in Holland had proposed tough scrutiny of the membership credentials of candidate countries wishing to join the E.U., which currently consists of 15 members. There are 10 applicants waiting in the membership queue. The proposed new requirements for membership may prevent some of the new applicants from joining the E.U.

While Dutch diplomats argue that there is no xenophobic tinge to the Government's stand, it is also a fact that the coalition was elected on a centre-right anti-immigration agenda. The diplomats have been quoted as saying that the Government's stand was not that countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania should not be allowed to join the E.U. but that a "final check" should be made to find out whether they met all the criteria for membership. There is now much uncertainty about the E.U. expansion programme amid much bickering about the "membership criterion'' by Holland, which like any other member of the E.U., can block the entry of a new applicant.

The E.U.'s Commissioner (Minister) for enlargement expressed the hope that the new Dutch Government would honour the commitment to the Union's expansion. Analysts note that the political crisis in Holland could pale into insignificance if the voters in Ireland in Saturday's referendum on the "Nice Treaty" on the E.U. enlargement do not give their approval. Ireland's mainstream Labour Party said its members would vote against implementation of the treaty. Such imponderables have added more hurdles to the enlargement agenda.

There are 10 East European and Mediterranean applicants in the final stages of negotiations for joining the E.U.

The more optimistic perception is that after much hiccup there may be a new consensus emerging.

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