Giving Spain firm encouragement in the lead-up to the first referendum on the European Union constitution

A vice president of the European Commission, Margot Wallstrom, and the top official for economic and monetary affairs, Joaquin Almunia, have been taking part in Madrid’s campaign to prepare for the vote. The referendum is a little more than a week away and it looks likely to produce a ‘yes’ result.

The latest study by the official Centre for Sociological Research suggests that many Spaniards are trusting their leaders on this one. Nine out of ten Spaniards said they did not really know what it is about;

More than two thirds of the respondents planned either definitely or probably to cast a ballot on February 20; And slightly more than half are in favour of the historic charter. By far the majority of citizens polled said the information provided for society to consider has been of little or no help.

This is in spite of both the ruling Socialists’ and the main opposition conservative People’s Party’s pro-ratification positions. Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is to be joined this Friday evening in Barcelona by his French and German counterparts for a public show of their support for the text.

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