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| Dutch Referendum Rejects Trade Deal Between E.U. and Ukraine | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LONDON — Voters in a Dutch referendum on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected a trade and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, casting doubt over the future of the accord and delivering a new blow to supporters of European integration. | LONDON — Voters in a Dutch referendum on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected a trade and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, casting doubt over the future of the accord and delivering a new blow to supporters of European integration. |
| After all votes were counted and reported to the election service of the national news agency, ANP, 61.1 percent rejected the pact and 38.1 percent voted for it, Dutch broadcasters NOS and RTL reported. | After all votes were counted and reported to the election service of the national news agency, ANP, 61.1 percent rejected the pact and 38.1 percent voted for it, Dutch broadcasters NOS and RTL reported. |
| In addition, the turnout was 32.2 percent — above the 30 percent required for the result to be declared valid, the broadcasters said. | In addition, the turnout was 32.2 percent — above the 30 percent required for the result to be declared valid, the broadcasters said. |
| Before the final figures of the nonbinding referendum were announced, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who had supported the accord, said that if the 30 percent threshold had been reached, Dutch ratification of the accord would probably not be possible. | Before the final figures of the nonbinding referendum were announced, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who had supported the accord, said that if the 30 percent threshold had been reached, Dutch ratification of the accord would probably not be possible. |
| In any event, the result will be seen as a sign of the fragility of public support for the European Union as it battles economic problems and an acute migration crisis caused in part by the civil war in Syria. | In any event, the result will be seen as a sign of the fragility of public support for the European Union as it battles economic problems and an acute migration crisis caused in part by the civil war in Syria. |
| The Dutch referendum took place less than 80 days before Britons are to decide whether to leave the European Union, a decision that could have profound consequences for the 28-nation bloc. | The Dutch referendum took place less than 80 days before Britons are to decide whether to leave the European Union, a decision that could have profound consequences for the 28-nation bloc. |
| Voters were asked to approve an association agreement intended to forge closer economic integration between Ukraine and the European Union, and which has already been approved by the Dutch Parliament and supported by the government. | Voters were asked to approve an association agreement intended to forge closer economic integration between Ukraine and the European Union, and which has already been approved by the Dutch Parliament and supported by the government. |
| Even through the vote was nonbinding, political analysts had argued that it would be hard for the government to ignore a no vote if the turnout exceeded the 30 percent threshold. | Even through the vote was nonbinding, political analysts had argued that it would be hard for the government to ignore a no vote if the turnout exceeded the 30 percent threshold. |
| All European Union nations must ratify the agreement for it to have full legal force, leaving Mr. Rutte in a predicament. | All European Union nations must ratify the agreement for it to have full legal force, leaving Mr. Rutte in a predicament. |
| “It’s clear that ‘no’ have won by an overwhelming margin, the question is only if turnout is sufficient,” Mr. Rutte said Wednesday night. | “It’s clear that ‘no’ have won by an overwhelming margin, the question is only if turnout is sufficient,” Mr. Rutte said Wednesday night. |
| “If the turnout is above 30 percent with such a large margin of victory for the ‘no’ camp, then my sense is that ratification can’t simply go ahead,” Mr. Rutte added. | “If the turnout is above 30 percent with such a large margin of victory for the ‘no’ camp, then my sense is that ratification can’t simply go ahead,” Mr. Rutte added. |
| The European agreement with Ukraine was controversial because it provoked strong opposition from Russia and, when Viktor F. Yanukovych, then Ukraine’s president, backed away from the accord, he began to lose his grip on power as the 2014 Maidan uprising unfolded. | The European agreement with Ukraine was controversial because it provoked strong opposition from Russia and, when Viktor F. Yanukovych, then Ukraine’s president, backed away from the accord, he began to lose his grip on power as the 2014 Maidan uprising unfolded. |
| Critics in the Netherlands forced a referendum under a recently enacted law under which a vote can be forced with the support of a minimum of 300,000 signatures on an online petition. | Critics in the Netherlands forced a referendum under a recently enacted law under which a vote can be forced with the support of a minimum of 300,000 signatures on an online petition. |
| During the campaign, some Dutch opponents argued that the agreement was a steppingstone toward full membership for Ukraine in the European Union. That idea was rejected by supporters of the accord, who said that it aimed to increase economic development in Ukraine and would bolster the battle against corruption while improving the rule of law. | During the campaign, some Dutch opponents argued that the agreement was a steppingstone toward full membership for Ukraine in the European Union. That idea was rejected by supporters of the accord, who said that it aimed to increase economic development in Ukraine and would bolster the battle against corruption while improving the rule of law. |
| Options to save the accord include negotiating a clause to exclude the Netherlands from some of the political cooperation elements of the agreement, said Wilmer Heck, a journalist for NRC Handelsblad, a Dutch newspaper. | Options to save the accord include negotiating a clause to exclude the Netherlands from some of the political cooperation elements of the agreement, said Wilmer Heck, a journalist for NRC Handelsblad, a Dutch newspaper. |
| Another possibility might be to secure a pledge that the agreement does not constitute a step toward membership for Ukraine in the European Union, Mr. Heck added. But such concessions, if they could be negotiated, might need to be put to a second referendum in the Netherlands. | Another possibility might be to secure a pledge that the agreement does not constitute a step toward membership for Ukraine in the European Union, Mr. Heck added. But such concessions, if they could be negotiated, might need to be put to a second referendum in the Netherlands. |
| In a Twitter post, Geert Wilders, a lawmaker who campaigns against Islam and is an opponent of the European Union, celebrated Wednesday’s result. “It looks like the Dutch people said NO to the European elite and NO to the treaty with the Ukraine,” Mr. Wilders said in his post. | In a Twitter post, Geert Wilders, a lawmaker who campaigns against Islam and is an opponent of the European Union, celebrated Wednesday’s result. “It looks like the Dutch people said NO to the European elite and NO to the treaty with the Ukraine,” Mr. Wilders said in his post. |
| “The beginning of the end of the E.U.,” he added. | “The beginning of the end of the E.U.,” he added. |