Dutch Cabinet wants no referendum on law to end referendums

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - The Dutch government wants to scrap a law that allows non-binding advisory referendums - without giving voters a say on the decision.

Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren said on Wednesday that she sent legislation to Parliament to repeal the law that established referendums.

The government says it is "logical that a law that ends the possibility for an advisory referendum is not itself subject to the possibility of a referendum."

Only one referendum has been held so far, a 2016 vote that rejected Dutch ratification of a European Union free trade deal with Ukraine.

The government ratified the deal anyway, after securing assurances it would not lead to Ukrainian membership in the EU.

A second referendum is scheduled for March on a law to broaden intelligence agencies' authority to monitor electronic communications.