SPAIN: Spain's parliament gave the green light yesterday for a referendum on the European Constitution next month, despite concerns that the vast majority of Spaniards know little or nothing about the treaty.
The lower house of parliament voted 300-0, with just one abstention, to give Prime Minister Mr José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero the authority to ask King Juan Carlos to call the February 20th referendum.
Spain, whose Socialist government prides itself on being strongly pro-European, will be the first European Union country to hold a referendum on the new charter, aimed at making the 25-nation bloc's creaking institutions more efficient.
"I will ask citizens to renew their confidence in Europe and for us to be the first in the Union to do so," Mr Zapatero told parliament.
"A strong and united Europe will make a stronger and more united Spain," he said, extolling the economic benefits that Spain's membership of the bloc since 1986 has brought.
The government and main opposition party both back a Yes vote in the referendum, with only small left-wing or regional parties set to campaign for a No.
Spaniards are expected to back the constitution, but some government officials fear turnout could be very low, although that would not invalidate the result.
Mr Mariano Rajoy, head of the main opposition Popular Party, accused Mr Zapatero of not doing enough to teach people about the European Constitution, which he said the vast majority of Spaniards knew hardly anything about.
"This is your responsibility," he told the prime minister.
"If 90 per cent of Spaniards have no idea what they are going to vote on, it's the result of your laziness."
An opinion poll by the Centre for Sociological Research showed 60 per cent of Spaniards planned to vote, although 90 per cent of them knew little or nothing about the text.
Mr Rajoy said the EU constitution would form a bulwark against a controversial plan by Basque premier Mr Juan Jose Ibarretxe for his region to attain virtual independence.
"The treaty defines Europe as a union of states and citizens. Defining Europe in these terms means shutting the door on delusions of self-determination," Mr Rajoy said.