For those following the ratification process of the proposed EU ‘constitution’ most of the focus has been on the vote in France, which is due on May 29th. At the moment, the noes are nicely ahead there, benefiting from a wide – and often conflicting – range of factors (some noes, for instance, see the EU as too free market, others as too interventionist), as well as an entirely justified suspicion that the French political establishment is ganging up on the French people to try and force the wretched document through.

But it’s also worth watching what’s going on in the Netherlands. There’s been almost no debate in that country, but polls there seem to be showing a trend there too towards the noes (the Dutch vote on June 1st), albeit against an atmosphere of tremendous apathy. That apathy might well be the best ally that the yes camp has, and is, probably, being deliberately encouraged by the main political parties. Most Dutch feel it is a civic obligation to vote, even on issues they don’t care much about, and the natural inclination of such apathetic voters will be to vote according to the recommendations of their party – and, in almost all cases, that’s for a yes.

That, needless, to say would be a shame. The No campaign needs to be doing a lot more. It’s not as if the EU hasn’t thrown up a number of issues – from widespread corruption to the goings on at the EU’s nuclear facility at Petten – that should unite many Dutch, of all political affiliations, or none, in an effort to deny Brussels yet more power to abuse.

UPDATE

It’s now being reported that the majority of Germans are opposed to the proposed constitution. The difference between the Germans and the Dutch? The Germans are not being allowed to vote on it.

Via England Expects