Balkenende: The New Dr. Pangloss?

If you’re not familiar with the reference, Dr. Pangloss is a character in Voltaire’s novel Candide, who is a hopeless optimist. "All is for the best, in this, the best of all possible worlds".

I was reminded of this when I read the Dutch press reports on the debate in the Dutch Parliament over the outcome of the referendum on the EU Constitution. The Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, was quoted as saying that he even saw a "ray of light" in the outcome: he told MPs that people are finally "thinking and talking about Europe." Well I suppose that’s one way of looking at the situation – immediately after the Dutch electorate have delivered a metaphorical punch to your face leaving you with a very bloody and broken nose…