US embassy cable - 05MADRID666

UNCLAS MADRID 000666 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SP, EUN, European Union 
SUBJECT: SPANISH VOTERS APPROVE EU CONSTITUTION 
 
REF: MADRID 550 
 
1.  On February 20, Spain became the first EU nation to 
approve the European Constitution by popular referendum with 
76.73 percent of voters in favor of the Constitution.  There 
had been little doubt that a "yes" vote would win, and the 
17.24 percent "no" vote was in line with expectations.  The 
lack of controversial issues in the campaign and the widely 
expected "yes" vote had placed the focus on voter 
participation (Reftel).  Voter turnout of 42.32 percent was 
the lowest turnout at the polls since democracy was restored 
in Spain in 1978, although the turnout was only slightly 
lower than the 45.14 percent turnout for 2004 European 
Parliament elections in Spain.  Nevertheless, the GOS was 
satisfied that voter turnout was sufficient to confer 
legitimacy on the results of the referendum.  The highest 
rejection rates for the Constitution were found in areas of 
strong regionalist feelings, including the Basque Country (33 
percent), Navarre (29 percent), and Catalonia (28 percent). 
 
2.  President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero thanked Spanish 
voters for their "commitment to Europe," after results were 
announced on February 20.  The President of the European 
Commission Jose Manuel Barroso congratulated Zapatero for the 
overwhelming "yes" vote, saying that Spain was sending "a 
strong signal" to other nations who have not yet voted on the 
Constitution.  German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French 
President Jacques Chirac, two leaders who had campaigned with 
Zapatero in the weeks leading up to the referendum, offered 
congratulatory words to Zapatero.  Schroeder said what 
happened in Spain "sets a good example for other referendums 
in other EU countries," and Chirac declared that "Spain has 
pronounced itself in favor of a modern, peaceful and social 
Europe." 
 
3.  The governing Socialists trumpeted the results as a 
"complete success" with Socialist spokesman Jose Blanco 
saying turnout was "reasonable", considering that the vote 
was not a general election.  Popular Party leader Mariano 
Rajoy called the vote "half a success," and attributed the 
low voter turnout to the lack of an effective government 
campaign and the "partisan tone" that Zapatero wanted to 
project.  United Left leader Gaspar Llamazares, who had 
campaigned against the Constitution, said that the low 
turnout and the 2.4 million "no" votes showed that there was 
strong disagreement in Spain about the "legitimacy" of the 
Constitution. 
 
COMMENT 
 
4.  The lack of controversial issues in the referendum 
campaign and the support of both major parties added an 
element of voter apathy to the campaign.  Zapatero and other 
Socialist leaders had said before the vote that they would be 
satisfied with a 40 percent turnout.  Having succeeded in 
lowering expectations, Zapatero can now tout the referendum 
as a solid victory, burnishing his image in EU circles. END 
COMMENT 
 
 
MANZANARES