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Jean Monnet, the French inspiration behind the European project once said that Europe would be made by crises and the solutions to the crises.
There have been many storms but this storm promises to take Europe into unchartered waters. There can be little doubt that such a clear negative verdict from two of the founding members of the union cannot be taken lightly.
The European project designed by the political class and the Brussels bureaucracy is clearly facing a crisis.
The message from the French and Dutch citizens is for a less formal Europe with less emphasis on the Federal Europe.
The electoral results suggest a widening gap between the political class and the European citizen. This gap can only be narrowed by a clearer understanding of the needs of the citizens and society in general.
The consequences of the vote are clear for it means slowing down the reforms necessary to make Europe a more competitive and viable economic reality.
The popular verdict risks putting an end to these reforms and as a consequence endanger the whole sustainability of the social project. Europe is not just an economic bloc but most especially a social model.
The way forward is to carry out the economic reforms, but surely the politicians have underestimated how distant they are from their electorate. The reforms are more necessary in the light of severe pressure from the Tiger economy which threatens to undercut many of the expenses and salaries that cover the service and manufacturing industry in Europe.
Furthermore, it is clear that the politicians have miscalculated the fears an enlarged Europe has had on European citizens. Enlargement will probably suffer as will the accession countries such as Malta.
On the local level, the rejection of the Constitution has left a bad taste in all the political blocs. Alfred Sant’s decision to embrace the Constitution is positive, the way he went about it not. If Dr Sant faces an uphill battle convincing the delegates in the validity of accepting a doomed Constitution, similarly the Gonzi government faces a gargantuan task encouraging comprehension about Europe. After having sold Europe as a money basket, the realities of the EU are falling into place.
The Maltese perception of Europe is no different to that of the French and Dutch voters and nothing should be taken for granted.
On a purely egotistic note, Malta has lost the possibility of winning the sixth seat in the European parliament with the demise of the Constitution.
The real message in the French and Dutch vote is that the citizen can never be taken for granted, that Brussels is too distant from the citizen, that national identity and singularity is not for sale.
It also underlines that the necessity of explaining the importance of reforms requires far much better communication.
It is an unfortunate time for Europe and for Malta too.
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