The United States of Europe does not appear to be as united as many of its major proponents would have the rest of the world believe. The resounding defeat of the ratification of the European Union’s proposed constitution by the Dutch, close on the heels of the French “no” vote, is a clear message that for many of the common people nationalism is far from dead. The Dutch, who contribute more money per capita than any other EU member voted 62 percent against the constitution.

In spite of promises by their own prime minister that, “the constitution was the way forward,” concerns about loosing control over their immigration polices and decreases in social benefits outweighed the rhetoric and it is not just the Dutch and the French people who have expressed doubts and fears about the creation of a European superstate.

Of the eleven countries that have ratified the treaty, only three have voted by referendum, giving a voice to their own people on this important issue. Spain was the first and only EU country to approve the constitution by referendum on Feb. 20 with notable low voting turnout.

France could have won a “yes” vote in their Parliament but President Chirac allowed the referendum vote instead — a decision that he now clearly regrets.

Although, the Dutch Parliament is planning a meeting to discuss this issue — 80 percent of the Dutch MPs are for ratifying the treaty — it is unlikely that they will choose to ignore the views of their people. The remaining member countries are split between ratification of the treaty by referendum and Parliament vote. Among the countries that plan to ratify by Parliament vote are Belgium, Estonia, Latvia, Cyprus, Malta and Sweden.

Luxembourg, Denmark, Portugal, The Czech Republic, Britain, Ireland and Poland are all committed to allowing the people to vote on this treaty. It is quite possible that some, if not all of these countries will reject the constitution as they share the same concerns as expressed by the Dutch and the French. One of the common complaints expressed is that the whole process of change from the European Commonwealth, a major open trading block, to the European Union envisioned as a superpower encompassing 450 million people with an economy larger than the United States of America, is moving too quickly.

Many individuals are still adjusting to the change over from what was their own national currency to the euro — a change that has adversely affected their financial situations. The idea that they will now be Europeans instead of British, French or Dutch, subjected to a superstate headquartered in Brussels, appears to be something many are not comfortable with. This is something many European politicians did not anticipate. Sir Peter Smithers, who was the joint secretary of the Brussels Conference of United Europe in 1949, explained this sentiment very well.

“I would have welcomed the establishment of a European federation,” he wrote to The Times, “had it ever been within our reach. But in all of my experience it was clear to me that it was contrary to the politico-economic realities. Living at the center of Europe today, I know that there is no European country whose citizens wish to be governed by a European government with all of the consequences.” He went to say that the euro concept based upon a currency with a bank to manage it but no government to act as a partner was absurd.

Many British agree, as that country did not adopt the euro and instead held on to the pound. The euro is currently down to $1.2296, a 7-month low against the US dollar. Regardless of how many economic experts I have studied, I have failed to find a reasonable explanation for the value attached to the euro. A Dutch diplomat once told me that in his opinion the euro was like a giant balloon waiting to bust.

The European Union will survive these setbacks and it will continue to thrive.

The question is, just what will be the final character of this entity? The answer: Somewhere between the old European Common Market and the European superstate. But I doubt if in the final analysis, Holland or France will ever disappear into a patchwork blanket known as the United States of Europe.

— Adrienne McPhail is an American journalist located in Yokosuka, Japan.