Latest blog articles

  • Implementation of the Ukraine EU association agreement

    As you may remember: in April 2016 the majority of the voters voted 'no' against the ratification act of this association agreement. According to the referendum a legislative proposal is needed as soon as possible in which the effects of the referendum will be arranged. (Dutch only)

    sunflowers trade Ukraine
  • Referendum and European Council

    Published on LBM. Rutte has managed it eventually. The European council has adopted a legally binding document for the 28 member states in its decisions, on December 15th, 2016. The document relates to the EU-Ukraine association agreement that would help alleviate some concerns of those who voted...

    Rutte
  • She said no: Italy and Europe after the constitutional referendum

    In the 4th December referendum, Italy rejected the constitutional reforms promoted by the Renzi’s government. As a consequence of the “No” vote, the Prime Minister decided to resign. While the vote was influenced primarily by internal factors, the result may open a period of uncertainty for both...

    Matteo Renzi
  • Black Piets, Burqa Bans, and Radical Populism in a Kakistocracy

    Published on LBM. Here is a fun word that you may have come across recently: Kakistocracy. Based on the Greek word kakistos (meaning “the worst”), kakistocracy is a system of governance run by the least qualified, most “deplorable” citizens that the State has to offer. 

    blog_Trump image
  • Results of complex referenda irreversible?

    After the Ukraine referendum in the Netherlands and the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom, have proved that it is difficult to organise a referendum on multi-faceted questions and interpret the results. In both cases, voters came to the polls for a wide variety of reasons... This blog is only...

    Referendum
  • Supremacy or Parliament?

    The difficult thing about the Brexit referendum and the events that followed in the United Kingdom is that the instrument of a referendum, in all its simplicty, may have undemocratic consequences... This blog is only available in Dutch. 

     

    Brexit_Europe_Referendum
  • Far from calm waters

    They say that one cannot have one’s cake and eat it – a rather well-known adage which the proponents of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union were determined to disprove. This article is only available in Dutch.

    Brexit_EU
  • What next?

    What is the meaning of 'as soon as possible'? That question is now topical on the Ukraine referendum. This article is only available in Dutch.

    Referendum