The Netherlands has set June 1 as the date for a national referendum on the constitutional treaty of the European Union (EU), Radio Netherlands reported Wednesday.

The referendum, the first in the Dutch history, is non-binding, with the parliament having the final say, the report said.

The political parties representing the majority in the parliament have said that they would respect the results if there is a high turnout. Most Dutch political parties support the constitution, but there is growing popular discontent about centralized power in the EU.

The constitution lays down the relationships between each of the 25 member countries of the EU and sets out citizens' rights.

The Netherlands is one of the founding members of the EU. However, recent Euro barometer polls have shown that it is one of the countries where negative EU sentiment is on the rise.

A recent poll showed a majority in favor of the "no" campaign, with 29 percent in favor and 42 percent against.

The constitution, adopted by EU leaders in June 2004, is expected to be ratified by all EU member states before the end of 2006.

Source: Xinhua