The EC: is it finished?

It has been announced out of Holland that the no side to further integration with the EC has handily won. While results are not available, some observers are saying that the vote could be as much as two against for every person voting for Holland integrating further into a united Europe.

What is most interesting is that many groups on both sides of the political spectrum were pushing the public to vote no. On the left, many were fearing loss of social programs and jobs being transferred to other parts of the EC. On the right many were nervous about increasing waves of immigration that further integration with the EC would promise as such matters become the domain of the central government in Brussels.

Now there is trouble in Germany as many have predicted. The link above (click the story title), indicates that high level meetings have been held in Germany where Euro failure was a topic of discussion. Apparently is there not only growing dissatisfaction with the EC in Germany but many Germans want to dict the Euro itself which they believe has been a very poor deal for them since they converted from the German Deutschmark. Readers will remember that the Mark' was in its own right one of the few power currencies in the world exchange market before Germany adopted the Euro as per its community obligations. The initial resentment was greatest towards the euro in Germany and that no doubt has continued.

Add to the above fears the upcoming election in Germany and things are looking dicey for the EC at the moment. Annother country being mentioned in this same group is Britain where PM Blair promised a vote on further integration with the EC before the prior election where he was rewarded with a reduced majority government, his third in a row. Now Mr. Blair is appearing quite skittish about the thought of a vote and more so since there is a strong push by opponents in his own Labour party to oust him. We have a very low key summer for the EC and no doubt the proponents of this misery are not backing down nor going away anytime soon. They will have to change their methods greatly though if they hope to make Europeans love their questionable vision for their future.