European Union flag
© AP Photo/ Yorgos Karahalis

Comment: Europeans hopefully remember just how much respect the EU's technocrats have for referendums. Remember how Germany crushed Greece, or how UK's ruling elites rigged the Scottish referendum? The elite have already responded to the fact that the Dutch plan to vote 'no' on Ukraine's EU membership by having the Hague "reconsider" its position. While Europeans want democracy, remember that it's hypocrisy and tyranny that rule the day.


According to Sputnik.Polls, the majority of Italians (66%), Germans (63%) and the French (63%) want to be involved in decisions regarding the conclusion of EU association agreements* with other countries through national referendums.

The survey was conducted by the opinion poll companies Populus and Ifop for Sputnik News Agency and Radio.

A referendum on the EU-Ukraine association agreement will take place in the Netherlands on April 6.

According to Sputnik.Polls, Italians are most enthusiastic about holding referendums on such deals with other countries. Sixty-six percent of Italians would like to hold a referendum before concluding an association agreement with any new country.

The German and French public broadly share the sentiment, with 63% of respondents in each country in favor of putting the issue to a vote.

The percentage of those who were against holding a referendum ‒ 23%, 20% and 18% in Germany, France and Italy, respectively ‒ was significantly lower than those who backed such a proposal.

The British public is less definitive about the issue. A rather high percentage of those polled there support the idea of a referendum (43%), however, the share of the public that is unsure either way is also high (40% of people answered "I don't know").

The poll in the United Kingdom was conducted by Populus, a leading UK survey company, between March 4 and 9, 2016, and some 1,085 respondents took part in the poll. The surveys in Germany (1,002 people), Italy (994 people) and France (1,005 people.) were conducted on March 8−10, 2016, by Ifop, the oldest public opinion poll company.

Sputnik Europe poll
© Sputnik
*Ukraine and the EU signed an association agreement that establishes a political and economic association between the parties, as well as a free trade area. According to the agreement, Ukraine must also bring its economy and laws into line with EU requirements. Association is a necessary step on the way to full membership.