Spain ratifies EU constitution
Wed May 18, 4:41 PM ET
Spain ratified the European Union's Constitution when a large majority in the upper house Senate adopted the bill following an equally strong vote in favour by the lower house last month.
There were 225 Senate votes in favour and six against with one abstention following the April 28 vote in the lower house where 331 deputies approved the new constitution with 19 voting against.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told the Senate that the constitution "strengthens the role of national parliaments and does not threaten the cultures or identities of individual members, but is rather the best way to defend them".
The treaty "lays the ground for a more democratic EU that is closer to the citizens," he added.
The parliamentary ratification follows a February 20 referendum where 77 percent of Spaniards approved the European constitution, despite a 58 percent turnout.
However in France, a key country for the approval of European constitution, the lastest polls give the "no" vote a slight lead for a referendum on May 29.
Mariano Rajoy, head of the Spanish opposition conservative Popular Party, said if the French "no" campaign wins that could require the drafting of a new treaty.
Spain joins Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Greece and Slovakia which have approved the European constitution.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050518/ts_afp/spaineuconstitution
Spain ratified the European Union's Constitution when a large majority in the upper house Senate adopted the bill following an equally strong vote in favour by the lower house last month.
There were 225 Senate votes in favour and six against with one abstention following the April 28 vote in the lower house where 331 deputies approved the new constitution with 19 voting against.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told the Senate that the constitution "strengthens the role of national parliaments and does not threaten the cultures or identities of individual members, but is rather the best way to defend them".
The treaty "lays the ground for a more democratic EU that is closer to the citizens," he added.
The parliamentary ratification follows a February 20 referendum where 77 percent of Spaniards approved the European constitution, despite a 58 percent turnout.
However in France, a key country for the approval of European constitution, the lastest polls give the "no" vote a slight lead for a referendum on May 29.
Mariano Rajoy, head of the Spanish opposition conservative Popular Party, said if the French "no" campaign wins that could require the drafting of a new treaty.
Spain joins Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Greece and Slovakia which have approved the European constitution.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050518/ts_afp/spaineuconstitution
posted by JimG at 8:57 PM
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