Dutch withdraw ratification law as EU crisis deepens

Chastened by the voters, Dutch MPs today abandoned plans to ratify the EU constitution as European leaders started preparing for a summit to deal with a deepening crisis.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder rushed to Luxembourg to discuss the EU’s future with Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who will chair the summit, Schroeder’s spokesman said. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said he also will meet Juncker next week.