Notre Europe's viewpoint | 30/08/2006 

A chance to celebrate a success should never be passed up, and the fact that 77% of voters were in favour of the European Constitution can certainly be regarded as a success. It can only be hoped that the rest of the European Union will be inspired to follow suit. Celebrations will admittedly be marred somewhat by the low turnout (42%), which was similar to that for the European elections (45%), and lower than that for the last referendum (on Nato membership - 59%). Turnout was also significantly lower than for the last general election (77%); this is doubtless evidence of a problem that is unfortunately widespread in Europe, namely the difficulties involved in increasing public interest in European issues.

Yet given that over two thirds of Spaniards voted in favour of a European Constitution, one would be hard put to describe them as being indifferent towards European issues. A more likely explanation is undoubtedly the one we put forward last week, namely that this automatic support for the European project, and the general consensus in favour of the Constitution which follows from it, do not sit happily with what has been shown to be a very low level of awareness of the Constitution and the issues it raises. What is the point of voting in a referendum that appears to have been a foregone conclusion, and which people do not have the means to understand?

It is becoming apparent that other factors identified during the seminar held by Notre Europe and the Elcano Institute on 31 January are also relevant. These include the PP's lack of involvement (even through the party was officially in favour, it did not wish to contribute in any way to the referendum organised by the current government), a campaign that focused less on the Constitution than on Europe in general, and a lack of familiarity with methods of holding referendums, which was reflected in the government's communications strategy.

Whilst gloating would be out of place, we should not deny this first success; ratification by referendum has got off to a good start.

For further information, see the view from Notre Europe of February 14th, and the minutes of the seminar held on 31 January 2005