To no one's surprise, the Netherlands this week rejected the proposed European Union constitution. Coming on the heels of the French "no" last weekend, the EU now faces a serious reckoning. European leaders insist that the ratification process should proceed on schedule, but the resounding verdicts by voters in two of the EU founding states are impossible to ignore.
Dutch voters sent a clear message in their Wednesday ballot. More than 61 percent of voters said "no" to the treaty, a higher level than in France. Turnout was also high: Nearly 63 percent of Dutch voters cast ballots, a marked contrast to the 39 percent who voted in European parliamentary elections last year.
Opinion polls had shown widespread negative sentiment. As in France, much of the discontent sprang from domestic politics: The Netherlands' economy has been hit by inflation following the introduction of the euro, and the vote was a slap at the government of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.