'No' Camp Ahead as Dutch Prepare to Have Their Say

[sintax]

'No' camp ahead as Dutch prepare to have their say
By Stephen Castle in Brussels

30 May 2005

The Netherlands, one of the EU's founder members and the nation where the Maastricht Treaty was signed, is poised to reject the European constitution in a referendum on Wednesday, opinion polls indicate.

Weekend voter surveys showed the "no" camp well ahead although the gap between the two sides appears to be narrowing slightly. There were fears that the French "no" vote could kill off any lingering hopes of securing a "yes"

"We Dutch must make up our own minds, just as we've always done and will continue to do," said Ben Bot, the Foreign Minister. The pollster Maurice de Hond said after France's rejection turnout in the referendum was likely to be low.

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=642640