The French Dutch Referenda on the European Constitutional Treaty and the Dilemma of European Referenda

The diploma thesis "The French and Dutch referenda on the European Constitutional Treaty and the dilemma of European referenda" deals with those two referendums, which took place in 2005. This thesis not only examines the above mentioned referendums, their main players, campaign and results, but it also deals with European referendums in general and their possible disadvantages. Before the actual analysis of the pre-referendum campaign and the analysis of the results, this thesis considers the use and tradition of referendums in France and in the Netherlands. It also addresses the question of why the referendums were held in these countries. One chapter is devoted to the players of the referendums and their attitude towards the European integration and especially their attitude towards the Constitutional Treaty. This 4 thesis further analyses the pre-referendum campaigns in terms of their length and content. The results of the referendums are examined from the geographical, social and political party affiliation point of view. Attention is drawn to the motivations behind the "no" votes. This thesis further examines whether the general disadvantages of European referendums were present in the French and Dutch cases. This examination is done on the basis of the analysis of the pre-referendum campaigns and the..