9 July 2008

THE HAGUE - The Dutch Senate has approved the Treaty of Lisbon although the vote was not unanimous.

Fifteen of the 75 senators voted against. Senators from the Socialist Party, the Animal Rights Party and the SGP, a small right-wing religious party, voted against the European Union treaty.

The Treaty of Lisbon is the successor to the EU constitution, which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

The Dutch government did not allow the Lisbon agreement to go to a referendum. The lower house of parliament approved it at the beginning of June and the Senate's approval finalises Dutch adoption of the treaty.

[Radio Netherlands / Expatica]

If you would like to comment on this topic, you can do so below or in our discussion forums at: http://forum.expatica.com/Netherlands-f207.html. (Forums require a personal profile. Sign up here.)