Summary
Peter Bursens
Liever geen referendum over Europese Grondwet
Peter Bursens expresses his objections to the referendum as a means to ratify the European Constitutional Treaty. A referendum is not suitable to assess the people's opinion on the Treaty. Hence conclusions on the existence or lack of popular support for further European integration on the basis of a referendum lack validity and carry inherent risks. The author concludes that in a representative democracy the creation of public support by way of elections and permanent parliamentarian vigilance is to be preferred over the uncertain construction of a popular support base through the political instrument of a referendum.