Dutch citizens voted by a margin of almost two to one today to reject the draft constitution of the European Union, all but killing off the EU’s charter to bind its 25 member states more closely together.

Only three days after French voters rejected the document, an exit poll broadcast by NOS television said that the Dutch, voting in their first-ever national referendum, had voted “nee” by 63 per cent to 37 against the constitution. Early results backed up the poll.

Jan Peter Balkenende, the Prime Minister who had campaigned for a ‘yes’ vote, said in a televised address to the nation: “The Dutch people have spoken tonight. It is a clear result. Naturally I am very disappointed.”

The margin of defeat for Mr Balkenende – who was backed by the other major political parties – exceeded that predicted by opinion polls before today’s vote, as did the turnout of 62 per cent of the 11.6 million eligible voters. Combined with the French result, it displayed a large degree of disaffection in the very heart of Europe with the results of the ‘European project’. Dutch opponents of the treaty fear that the Netherlands, with a population of just 16 million, risks being swamped in a European superstate run by Brussels and dominated by the major European powers.

But, as with the French experience, the exact terms of the treaty were not always the deciding factor as today’s vote became a referendum on the wider future of Europe. Many Dutch voters are still angered at price increases that followed the introduction of the euro in 2002. There are also widespread fears that the eventual accession of Turkey will worsen relations between Dutch Muslims and the Dutch majority.

Anthony Browne, Times Europe Correspondent, said the scale of the rejection would make it all but impossible for European leaders to dismiss the result as a protest vote.

“There’s no way that you could ignore a vote like this. It’s a far bigger ‘no’ than in France, an unequivocal ‘no’,” Browne said.

“And in the Netherlands the debate was about European issues, about the euro, European englargement, the costs of the EU, it was not just a protest vote. So it’s a far clearer answer than from France and from another founding member state with apparently model citizens.

Browne added: “There’s no way out of it for the EU that anyone can realistically see. Their holding position is that all countries must contine the process of ratification, but it’s impossible to have another referendum after a result like that – unless they want an 80-per cent no.” The French and Dutch votes could have an impact far beyond that of the future constitution, forcing the bloc onto a much less ambitious course. The document, which must be ratified by all 25 member states, would bestow some of the trappings of statehood — including a flag, a president and an anthem — on the alliance of nation states and lay the foundation for a political entity of 450 million people accounting for one quarter of the world's economic output — bigger and richer in total production than the United States.

European leaders will discuss what to do next at their summit in Brussels in about two weeks. The task now facing them is not simply to find a legal way out of the constitutional impasse but to rethink the entire direction of Europe, including plans for adding new members and deepening political integration.

Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, said tonight that European nations must continue the process of ratification despite the double-whammy of French and Dutch rejection. The UK is alone among nations still to hold referenda in refusing to confirm that the vote will still go ahead.

“We have a serious problem, but we must continue our work,; Commission President Senhor Barroso said, adding he would ask the June 16-17 meeting of government leaders for “clarification” on the way ahead. And Mr Balkenende, despite his defeat, added his weight to the call for referenda to continue in other countries – echoing President Chirac of France after his defeat at the weekend.

"The Dutch government finds that the ratification process must be able to proceed in all countries," Mr Balkenende said.

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