News, December 2004

EU Constitutional Referendum announced

20 November. A referendum has been called to approve the new European Constitution. The date is 20th February.

Although the vast majority of Spaniards are in favour of EU membership and the new Constitution, it is suspected that a very large number may not bother to turn out at the polling stations. Among those against the Costitution are the more autonomous regions, such as Catalonia, which believe they -and thus their rights- are not recognised in the new Magna Carta. The fear among most is simply that the EU is now far too large for such close unity to be desirable, or at least of interest, to the majority of Europeans.

The EU began superficially as an economic union only, although deep down it was primarily a political instrument to ensure there will be no more war between European countries. On the whole this has been a great success, although the breakdown of Yugoslavia was thus a notable failure for the EU. Today, the economic interests remain in togetherness, but many fear a not only Godless, but in many ways also totally headless organism of this size. yet Spaniards, on the whole, are very grateful for the growth that EU membership has afforded them and see no threat to their very different (although in reality fast-changing) way of life.