The Dutch government said on Wednesday a clear majority of people who voted in a referendum rejected a far-reaching European Union free trade deal with Ukraine, but an exit poll showed turnout may have been too low for the vote to be valid.
The Dutch government said on Wednesday a clear majority of people who voted in a referendum rejected a far-reaching European Union free trade deal with Ukraine, but an exit poll showed turnout may have been too low for the vote to be valid.
According to RT, sixty-four percent voted against the Netherlands ratifying the treaty, which would strengthen economic and political ties between the 28-nation bloc and Kiev, an exit poll conducted by the Ipsos center shows. Some 36 percent of the voters supported the move, the exit poll has shown.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the government may have to reconsider the treaty if the vote is valid: "If the turnout is above 30 percent with such a large margin of victory for the 'No' camp then my sense is that ratification can't simply go ahead".
The vote, launched by anti-EU forces, is seen as test of the strength of eurosceptics on the continent just three months before Britain votes on whether to stay in the European Union, Reuters writes.
This referendum was triggered by an internet petition begun by Eurosceptic activists that attracted about 450,000 signatures.
