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On the 20th February Spain is to become the first EU country to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution
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Walking around Spain, you could be forgiven for having no idea that in a few days, Spain is to become the first EU country to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution. Indeed, I´d been here over three days before I saw the first piece of evidence that the poll is due to take place this Sunday (20 Feb). Spain´s leading chain of department stores (El Corte Inglés) keep a discreet stock of leaflets by the customer services desk, entitled "Por qué es importante la Constitución Europea?", meaning "Why is the European Constitution important?". Good question, I thought. The British people were, after all, told in 1973 that we were joining a mere Common Market - surely you don´t need a Constitution to trade with other countries!
Unfortunately, this was a government leaflet aiming to prove to Spaniards that all they really want is a European Constitution. At least the leaflet was honest about the fact that Spanish soldiers would fight under the EU flag - though it was shamefully one-sided and failed to address even one eurosceptic concern over the content of the Constitution. The leaflet made it clear that the Constitution would construct "a solid political community speaking with a single voice to the rest of the world". Naturally, that´s exactly what eurosceptics fear (and UK europhiles refuse to admit) - if we sign the Constitution, our national voice will be subsumed by the European voice - we shall lose influence in world affairs. I searched in vain for the NO campaign´s leaflet - the shop must have been temporarily out of stock. Surely the EU would not allow yet another referendum to be rigged due to the YES campaign being granted extra funding and resources!
It was difficult to believe that a referendum on this momentous issue could be such a low-key affair, so I made certain to buy a Spanish newspaper that day. Only one newspaper (El País, meaning "the country") seemed to be showing any interest at all. I asked the lady selling the paper whether people cared about the issue. She assured me that most people really couldn´t care less - and when I asked whether more information was available, she seemed taken aback and suggested I try a specialist library.
El País was even more informative. Of the four pages covering the issue, just one column was devoted to the NO campaign - and that was coverage of a complaint about biased coverage! The rest was devoted to those in favour of the European Constitution. Just one anti-Constitution argument was mentioned - the fact that God is not mentioned. When 93.5% of the EU´s accounts are subject to fraud, I must confess that I am baffled as to why anyone religious would want God´s name associated with the running of the EU. In any case, the argument is a ´straw man´ as´it merely detracts from the real gripes eurosceptics have about the Constitution: 1. It says EU law ´shall have primacy´ over UK (or Spanish) law 2. It cedes more sovereignty than ever before by introducing areas of ´shared sovereignty´ between the EU and member states. Shared sovereignty leaves countries power only if the EU chooses not to legislate in those areas - and what chance is there of the EU keeping its tentacles out of any area over which it has the chance to develop its imperialist control? 3. The ´flexibility clause´ allows the Constitution to be amended without popular consent, throwing away still more sovereignty 4. Unreasonable conditions will be imposed on any country wishing to leave the EU. 5. It consolidates all the unfairness of previous EU treaties.
The Spanish referendum campaign isn´t even being fought on the EU issue - one of the main questions is how the Constitution would affect the Ibarretxe plan for stability in the Basque region of Spain.
It´s no wonder that Spaniards remain apathetic. As net direct beneficiaries from the EU (though overregulation costs them indirectly, just as it costs the UK), they were grateful for EU assistance after joining in 1984. Both government and opposition are pro-EU, and the eurosceptic voice is rarely heard. Therefore, we should not be surprised to see Spain becoming the first country to register a Yes vote in a referendum on the proposed EU Constitution.
However, with a population that knows little about the issues and cares even less, a low turnout could yet produce an unexpected result.
Well, I suppose I ought to make the most of the local culture whilst I´m here in Spain - and that means enjoying the rest of my holiday without worrying about the EU for a change!
The Spanish Foreign Minister, Senor Moratinos has recently observed that it is only a matter of time before we are all engulfed by the new EU, federal superstate and the New Constitution will lead to "a surrender of sovereignty by current members".
Asked if the constitutional treaty would strip parliaments like Westminster of the right to set their own laws he replied: "Absolutely".
By Jonathan Arnott (Political Correspondent to Godfrey Bloom MEP) |
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