The Netherlands voted against Ukraine

Yesterday, during a referendum, the majority opposed the ratification of the Treaty on the European Union's association with Ukraine. According to the preliminary data, 61.1% voted against it; 38.1% voted for it. The turnout was 32.2%, which makes the results of the referendum legitimate.

What to expect

The final results are to be announced on April 12th. If they coincide with the media's data, the kingdom's parliament should re-examine the text of the agreement and hold a new vote.

The impact on domestic policy

The results of the referendum will be attributed to the political preferences of Dutch citizens. The results indicate an increase in the popularity of the Freedom Party of Geert Wilders. Currently, the party is second only to the ruling People's Party (27% and 29%, respectively). There is a possibility that the coalition between the liberals and Labour for the next parliamentary elections, which are to be held in early 2017, will remain in the minority.

Liberals are panicking

The data shows the mood of not only the Dutch, but also the entire EU. Eurosceptics confidently take up the position of the Social Democrats, liberals, and left-wing parties, which have recently constituted the overwhelming majority in the European Union and the European Parliament. Many liberal media agencies are concerned about the growth of nationalist sentiment and the failure of liberal ideas.

Ukraine's Position

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has called the referendum "a blow to the unity of Ukraine" and promised to continue the course towards European integration. The day before, there were several scandals related to corruption schemes of the leadership of the country. In addition, the UN declared that over a million people in Ukraine are at risk of starvation. Both facts poorly conform to the European ideals of democracy and supposed values.

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