Brussels, 21/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 21 September, the Dutch government decided to ratify the future amending treaty of the European Union by a vote in parliament rather than holding a new referendum. The government decided to follow the Dutch cabinet's recommendations. The cabinet studied the draft text currently under discussion at the intergovernmental conference (IGC) and decided that the future treaty will be substantially different from the draft European constitution rejected by the Dutch in a referendum in June 2005. They also decided that the new treaty would not amend the existing EU treaties in a manner substantial enough to require the holding of a referendum (see EUROPE 9502). The Dutch government was divided over the issue. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's party, the CDA (Christian Democrats) and the ChristenUnie party are clearly opposed to a referendum, but another party in the coalition government, the PvdA (Social Democrats) are split over the issue. Commentators suggest that Greens, the Socialist Party and the D66 liberal party (possibly backed by some members of the PvdA) may try to get legislation through parliament to force the government to hold a referendum, but their chances of getting the necessary majority in both chambers of parliament to overturn the government's position seem slim. In a poll published on Friday, 58% of the Dutch wanted a new referendum. 55% said they would vote in favour of the new treaty. (hb)