Spain says "yes" to EU charter

[Menydh]

Spain says "yes" to EU charter

Reuters
February 20, 2005

MADRID (Reuters) - Spaniards have given an overwhelming "yes" to the European Union's new constitution in a referendum, but a low turnout may have dented EU hopes the vote would send a strong signal across the 25-nation bloc.

Supporters of the charter had hoped europhile Spain, the first member state to submit the constitution to a referendum, would set a strong example for waverers in the bloc such as Britain.

But the results of Sunday's ballot showed a mixed picture.

Voters approved the constitution by about 77 percent to 17 percent, official results showed with 83 percent of the votes counted. About 6 percent of votes cast were blank.

Turnout was 42.4 percent, short of the already low 45.9 percent turnout in elections to the European Parliament in June.

The opposition Popular Party said turnout was the second lowest among 29 referendums held in the European Union and blamed Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

"You have to acknowledge reality. ... When a lot more Spaniards don't vote than do, it's a failure for the person who called the referendum and that was the Prime Minister," said Angel Acebes, number two in the Popular Party.

European Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, a Spanish Socialist, said the turnout was "more than acceptable" and showed Spaniards realised their future lay with Europe.

"The fact that it exceeded 40 percent ... is positive, although it is true we would have liked a larger turnout," Almunia told state radio.

Zapatero has staked his reputation on making Spaniards, who joined the EU in 1986 and have done well out of membership, the first to approve the document.

RUSH TO POLLS?

The opposition has criticised Zapatero for rushing Spaniards to the polls and failing to explain the contents of the charter sufficiently. Polls show ignorance of the charter is widespread.

An exit poll commissioned by state TV showed significant "no" votes in the Basque country and Catalonia, where small separatist parties had backed a "no" vote, saying the constitution did not recognise their regional identities.

As many as a third of the voters opted for "no" in the Basque country and more than a quarter in Catalonia, according to the exit poll.

Nearly 35 million voters were eligible to answer the question: "Do you approve the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe?"

Some 106,000 police were on alert for potential violence from the armed Basque separatist group ETA, but no incidents were reported. On Thursday, police arrested a man and woman in Valencia with explosives for an "imminent" attack.

Unlike eurosceptic publics in Britain and Denmark, the Spanish are friendly to the EU thanks to an economic boom associated with 86 billion euros of subsidies over the past 20 years.

The charter needs ratification by all 25 EU members to take effect and EU leaders hoped Spain could set a good example for eight other countries due to hold referendums.

The referendum is not legally binding. Parliament still needs to ratify it, although Zapatero said he would respect public opinion.



[source]

[Menydh]

Spaniards have given an overwhelming "yes" to the European Union's new constitution

This is a big joke. With some 55% of abstentions, and then 17% of rejections and a 6% of blank voters of the remaining 45%, it is anything but "overwhelming".

"The fact that it exceeded 40 percent ... is positive

The campaign has been a shame. There has been no campaing for the no vote as both main parties have campaigned for the yes vote. Further, the official announcement of the referendum have been a fraud in which they were campaigning in favour of its approval.

Now they will no doubt make their best to present it as a victory, whereas in reality is a sounding defeat.

[etoile noir]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

This is a big joke. With some 55% of abstentions, and then 17% of rejections and a 6% of blank voters of the remaining 45%, it is anything but "overwhelming".

but Why? why the apathy?

how could 55% of you people simply ignore the referendum and sit at home? or go out and play ball?

is it possible that so many are so totally oblivious to the implications of their actions, or rather their inaction?

i know that i come from a country that is almost ridiculously political. A country where anyting less that a 98% turnout is seen as "low", and people flock to their polling booths from 7am, sometimes even waiting in a queue to cast their vote. But quite frankly i am rather proud that my people at least care, even if i disagree with the vast majority, and their choice of both government and opposition, they at least try to have a say in what happens in their country.

our greatest enemy is not the left, the centre or even the liberal do-gooders. no, our worst enemy is ourselves and our apathy.

ps. apologies go out to those who have voted, and that probably includes all the members of Stirpes, but this is the only medium where i could express my frustration at the apathy of many people.

[Ebusitanus]

Abstentionism is rather high with anything not involving Spanish internal matters. The last European Parlament ellections did not do much better either. While 45% vote is not much, we can also say they did not favour the "no" vote either.

[Menydh]

Etoile, you are assuming that all people should feel like we do. Sadly, this is not the case.

Last night I was chatting with some Spaniards online (both from Stirpes and not), and people dropped some quick analyses of the events. Whatever that can be said may just be speculation.

As for my speculations, I would say that among the abstentionists there is a number of people who right now have been finally left without a direction after the, until not long ago Conservative, Partido Popular has gone drifting towards the center and now supported the yes vote in these elections.

Those, together with many who voted against, are potential targets for a Nationalist future.


There are other things to take into account too. But this is one that calls my attention above others.


Interestingly, last night I heard from one person of my family who voted against the Constitution, after knowing the results, that she should have joined the abstentionists instead. Obviously she was implying that, despite positioning herself well against the EU Constitution, home affairs take precedence. In this case she was feeling the abstention as a means to go against the Socialist Government.

[Ebusitanus]

Even the "no" vote brough quite some different political "outcasts" together. We had the Communists, Independentist, Pro-Inmigration and even "Fascist" leaning groups asking for the same for totally different reasons.

Personally I think people just did not give a damn and are/were oblivious to what this Constitution actually meant.

[etoile noir]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Etoile, you are assuming that all people should feel like we do. Sadly, this is not the case.

yes Mynydd, you are right. i do feel that everyone should feel like we do. of course ideally, everyone would vote with some sense and do away with all the politically correct nonsense that is eating away at the very fabric of our society.

but quite honsetly, i feel that i have more in common, and a great deal more respect for people who reside on the far left, as opposed to those "lukewarm" people who really couldn't care less.

at least, with people who are extreme leftists, although i disagree with their beliefs, they do have beliefs. They fight for something, they have a "cause".

then again, i cannot make sweeping statement with countries that i do not know enough about politically. for example the family member who you described as voting No, then wishing she had abstained - well that indicates that the general consensus against the EU might have been that abstaining would be a vote of no confidence in the current government.

it is so frustrating when one comes to a situation where one has to sit back and seem indifferent, when in fact that same indifference is born out of a sense of absolute defeatism - a knowing that no matter how hard you try, big brother is not going to let you have your say because he's already brainwashed the rest of the population.

oh well, let's see what happens with the rest of the countries, although i must admit, i don't have any high hopes and spain is solely the first in a long line of losers against the mighty EU.

i'll spare you the question - No, the maltese are not voting. you see our government, in all its patronising and arrogant sense of "my people are a bunch of morons, so i'll speak on their behalf", has decided that parliament will decide this issue. and dont bother trying to guess what our present boot lickers are going to say on behalf of the maltese people.