Dutch Government Collapse Brings EU Enlargement Jitters
With the clock ticking for the European Union’s expansion in 2004, the crisis in The Hague could derail the whole process. EU leaders, however, are putting on a brave face.
Brussels is trying to reassure the 10 countries waiting to join the European Union that the collapse of the Dutch government barely a week before a key EU summit will not upset the bloc's plans for eastern enlargement. The Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende's center-right coalition resigned on Wednesday over a feud within one of the three member parties. The government had been in office for less than 100 days. The issue of EU enlargement was a key factor in the break-up. In a cabinet row last Friday, Balkenende’s two junior coalition partners, the liberal VVD party and the anti-immigration List Pim Fortuyn (LPF), both opposed the admission of Poland, Slovakia and Cyprus to the EU in 2004. Caretaker government has authority to vote A caretaker government will run the country for the time being. Constitutional experts in the Netherlands insist it will have the legal authority to participate fully in next week's Brussels summit, which is due to approve the new members’ accession and agree on the terms for financing enlargement. Caretaker cabinets are expected to refrain from decisions on "controversial" subjects but can interpret this flexibly and have done so in the past. With Ireland due to hold a referendum on enlargement on Saturday, the political crisis in The Hague has added to diplomatic tensions within the EU. But Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said he did not believe it would prove an obstacle. The EU hopes to close accession talks with the 10 candidate states at a summit in Copenhagen in December. European Commission statement points to concern EU Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen also put on a brave face, saying he thought it unlikely the Dutch would overturn decisions which had already been taken. However, the Commission has taken the unusual step of issuing a statement commenting on the political situation in a member state. "Obviously it is up to the Netherlands to decide, in the current situation, whether or not they can take a position on the next steps of the enlargement process and if so, which position," it said. Some Dutch politicians, including members of the outgoing government, have criticized the scale and estimated cost of enlargement, but EU diplomats said they were confident a broad majority in the Dutch parliament backed it.
Dutch
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
European Union
European_Union European_Boxing_Union Member_state_of_the_European_Union European_Union_(resistance_group) Citizenship_of_the_European_Union Renewable_energy_in_the_European_Union European_Union_law Accession_of_Albania_to_the_European_Union Elections_to_the_European_Parliament Solar_energy_in_the_European_Union European_Union_Special_Representative European_Economic_Community Flag_of_Europe Pakistan–European_Union_relations LGBT_rights_in_the_European_Union History_of_the_European_Union
2004
The Hague
The_Hague Timeline_of_The_Hague Den_Haag_Centraal_railway_station HYS_The_Hague Trams_in_The_Hague International_Court_of_Justice CPC_Loop_Den_Haag Royal_Conservatory_of_The_Hague Sportpark_Westvliet The_Hague_dialect Battle_for_The_Hague Voorburg Hague_Congress_(1872) The_Hague_University_of_Applied_Sciences Young_Plan Den_Haag_HS_railway_station
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Brussels
Brussels City_of_Brussels R.W.D.M._Brussels_F.C. King_Baudouin_Stadium Brussels_Airport Memorial_Van_Damme Brussels-South_railway_station Donnay_Indoor_Championships Arrondissement_of_Brussels Brussels,_Ontario Belgian_Open_Championships Free_University_of_Brussels Brussels,_Illinois Brussels,_Wisconsin Trams_in_Brussels Brussels_and_the_European_Union
European Union
European_Union European_Boxing_Union Member_state_of_the_European_Union European_Union_(resistance_group) Citizenship_of_the_European_Union Renewable_energy_in_the_European_Union European_Union_law Accession_of_Albania_to_the_European_Union Elections_to_the_European_Parliament Solar_energy_in_the_European_Union European_Union_Special_Representative European_Economic_Community Flag_of_Europe Pakistan–European_Union_relations LGBT_rights_in_the_European_Union History_of_the_European_Union
Dutch
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Prime Minister
Jan-Peter Balkenende
Jan_Peter_Balkenende
Wednesday
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Friday
Balkenende
Jan_Peter_Balkenende
VVD
People's_Party_for_Freedom_and_Democracy
List Pim Fortuyn
Pim_Fortuyn_List
LPF
Pim_Fortuyn_List Liga_Profesionistă_de_Fotbal Liga_Panameña_de_Fútbol
Poland
Poland Poland_national_football_team Second_Polish_Republic Polish_People's_Republic ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Poland Polish_Football_Association Poland_national_speedway_team Polish–Lithuanian_Commonwealth List_of_non-marine_molluscs_of_Poland Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Poland Kingdom_of_Poland_(1025–1385) Poland_women's_national_football_team Congress_Poland Poland_national_under-21_football_team Poland_men's_national_volleyball_team Poland_national_handball_team
Slovakia
Slovakia Slovakia_national_football_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Slovakia Slovakia_men's_national_ice_hockey_team List_of_non-marine_molluscs_of_Slovakia Slovak_Football_Association Slovak_Republic_(1939–1945) Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Slovakia Slovakia_Fed_Cup_team Slovakia_men's_national_junior_ice_hockey_team Slovakia_national_under-21_football_team Slovakia_women's_national_football_team Slovakia_Davis_Cup_team Acceleration_Team_Slovakia Slovakia_women's_national_ice_hockey_team History_of_Slovakia
Cyprus
Cyprus Cyprus_national_football_team Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Cyprus Cyprus_Football_Association Kingdom_of_Cyprus Cyprus_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest British_Cyprus Cyprus_national_under-21_football_team Football_in_Cyprus Cyprus_Davis_Cup_team Ottoman_Cyprus Roman_Cyprus Ancient_history_of_Cyprus Church_of_Cyprus Cyprus_national_basketball_team Cyprus_Basketball_Division_A
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
2004
Netherlands
Netherlands Netherlands_national_football_team Netherlands_national_cricket_team Royal_Dutch_Football_Association Netherlands_women's_national_football_team A1_Team_Netherlands Netherlands_women's_national_cricket_team Same-sex_marriage_in_the_Netherlands Netherlands_national_under-21_football_team Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands Netherlands_national_baseball_team List_of_non-marine_molluscs_of_the_Netherlands Dutch_Top_40 Netherlands_national_cerebral_palsy_football_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_the_Netherlands Dutch_Republic
Brussels
Brussels City_of_Brussels R.W.D.M._Brussels_F.C. King_Baudouin_Stadium Brussels_Airport Memorial_Van_Damme Brussels-South_railway_station Donnay_Indoor_Championships Arrondissement_of_Brussels Brussels,_Ontario Belgian_Open_Championships Free_University_of_Brussels Brussels,_Illinois Brussels,_Wisconsin Trams_in_Brussels Brussels_and_the_European_Union
Ireland
Ireland Republic_of_Ireland Ireland_national_rugby_union_team Ireland_cricket_team Ireland_national_football_team_(1882–1950) Irish_Rugby_Football_Union Republic_of_Ireland_national_football_team Ireland_men's_national_rugby_league_team Kingdom_of_Ireland Ireland_international_rules_football_team A1_Team_Ireland Ireland_women's_cricket_team Peerage_of_Ireland Same-sex_marriage_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland List_of_non-marine_molluscs_of_Ireland Irish_poetry
Saturday
The Hague
The_Hague Timeline_of_The_Hague Den_Haag_Centraal_railway_station HYS_The_Hague Trams_in_The_Hague International_Court_of_Justice CPC_Loop_Den_Haag Royal_Conservatory_of_The_Hague Sportpark_Westvliet The_Hague_dialect Battle_for_The_Hague Voorburg Hague_Congress_(1872) The_Hague_University_of_Applied_Sciences Young_Plan Den_Haag_HS_railway_station
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Danish
Prime Minister
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders_Fogh_Rasmussen
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Copenhagen
Copenhagen F.C._Copenhagen Copenhagen_Municipality Copenhagen_(play) Copenhagen_Airport Copenhagen_Open University_of_Copenhagen Copenhagen,_New_York Copenhagen_(2014_film) Copenhagen_Central_Station Battle_of_Copenhagen_(1807) Battle_of_Copenhagen_(1801) Copenhagen_Records Copenhagen_Trophy Copenhagen_(horse) Copenhagen_(tobacco)
December
European Commission
European_Commission Barroso_Commission President_of_the_European_Commission Directorate-General_for_Education_and_Culture List_of_Presidents_of_the_European_Commission European_Commissioner European_Agency_for_Safety_and_Health_at_Work Marie_Skłodowska-Curie_Actions Legal_Acts_of_the_European_Union STARTS_Prize Directorate-General_for_European_Civil_Protection_and_Humanitarian_Aid_Operations European_Commissioner_for_Energy Directorate-General_for_International_Cooperation_and_Development European_Commissioner_for_Education,_Culture,_Multilingualism_and_Youth Internationalization_of_the_Danube_River European_Atomic_Energy_Community
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Enlargement Commissioner
Guenter Verheugen
Günter_Verheugen
Dutch
Commission
Commissioned_officer Commission_(remuneration) Officer_(armed_forces) European_Commission Ship_commissioning Letters_patent Commission_(document) The_Commission_(mafia) Government_agency Commission_(art) City_commission_government U.S._Securities_and_Exchange_Commission Committee County_commission Contract Sicilian_Mafia_Commission
Netherlands
Netherlands Netherlands_national_football_team Netherlands_national_cricket_team Royal_Dutch_Football_Association Netherlands_women's_national_football_team A1_Team_Netherlands Netherlands_women's_national_cricket_team Same-sex_marriage_in_the_Netherlands Netherlands_national_under-21_football_team Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands Netherlands_national_baseball_team List_of_non-marine_molluscs_of_the_Netherlands Dutch_Top_40 Netherlands_national_cerebral_palsy_football_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_the_Netherlands Dutch_Republic
Dutch
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Dutch
European Union
European_Union
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization type::so
List Pim Fortuyn
Pim_Fortuyn_List
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Jan-Peter Balkenende
Jan_Peter_Balkenende
gender::male iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_gov type::person type::politician
European Commission
European_Commission
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization
Netherlands
Netherlands
slot::in slot::keyword topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Dutch
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
2004
topic::none type::time type::value
The Hague
The_Hague
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Brussels
Brussels
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Prime Minister
topic::none type::role type::value
Wednesday
topic::none type::time type::value
Friday
topic::none type::time type::value
VVD
People's_Party_for_Freedom_and_Democracy
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Poland
Poland
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Slovakia
Slovakia
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Cyprus
Cyprus
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Ireland
Ireland
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Saturday
topic::none type::time type::value
Danish
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders_Fogh_Rasmussen
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_gov type::person type::politician
Copenhagen
Copenhagen
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
December
topic::none type::time type::value
Enlargement Commissioner
topic::none type::role type::value
Guenter Verheugen
Günter_Verheugen
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::person type::politics_per
Denmark
Belgium