Spanish parliament adopts EU Constitution
Spain's lower house of parliament Thursday voted in favour of ratifying the European Union constitution after voters backed it in a referendum, a sharp contrast to the deepening scepticism elsewhere in Europe.
The vote in the Spanish capital was 311 deputies in favor of the treaty, 19 against and 20 abstentions. The treaty now goes to the upper house, the Senate, in about two months and if it passes as expected without amendments, the ratification will then take effect.
Spanish lawmakers followed the lead of 77 percent of those Spaniards who went to the polls on February 20 to support the EU's first-ever constitution, even though turnout was low with about 58 percent of eligible voters abstaining from the referendum.
Both the ruling Socialists and the main conservative opposition Popular Party backed the treaty, seeing it as a statement of Spain's role in the European bloc.
Spain has taken a pro-European stance and "expressed the country's gratitude for all it has received" since joining the EU in 1986, a Popular Party statement said before the vote.
Spain was the first EU state to give the treaty popular backing in a referendum, setting an example other countries may have trouble following.
French voters will be the next to have their say in a referendum on May 29, followed by the Dutch on June 1.
The latest polls show voters in both France and the Netherlands do not share the Spaniards' enthusiasm for the charter which was designed to overcome decision
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