1986 Spanish NATO membership referendum facts for kids

1986 Spanish NATO membership referendum
The Government considers it convenient, for national interests, for Spain to remain in the Atlantic Alliance, and agrees that such permanence be established in the following terms: (1) Non-incorporation into NATO's military structure; (2) Prohibition on the installation, storage or entry of nuclear weapons on Spanish territory; (3) Gradual reduction of the United States' military presence in Spain. In your view, should Spain continue to be a member of the Atlantic Alliance subject to the terms agreed by the national Government?
Date	12 March 1986
Quick facts for kids Results Votes  % Yes 9,054,509 56.85% No 6,872,421 43.15% Valid votes 15,926,930 92.35% Invalid or blank votes 1,319,522 7.65% Total votes 17,246,452 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 29,024,494 59.42%
Results by provinces   Yes     No
Provincial results map for the referendum

A referendum is a special vote where people in a country decide on an important issue. On Wednesday, 12 March 1986, Spain held a referendum about whether it should stay a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

NATO is a group of countries that work together for defense and security. Spain had joined NATO in 1982. The government wanted to know if people agreed with their plan for Spain to remain in NATO under certain conditions.

The question asked to voters was: "The Government thinks it's good for Spain to stay in the Atlantic Alliance (NATO). They agree that Spain's membership should include these rules:

• Spain will not join NATO's military command structure.
• It will be forbidden to put, store, or bring nuclear weapons into Spain.
• The United States' military presence in Spain will slowly be reduced.

Do you think Spain should continue to be a member of the Atlantic Alliance with these rules?"

The results showed that 56.9% of the people who voted said "Yes" to staying in NATO with these conditions. About 59.4% of all eligible voters participated in this important decision.

Results of the Vote

This section shows how people voted in the referendum.

What the Question Meant

The question on the ballot was very specific. It asked voters if they agreed with Spain staying in NATO, but only if three main conditions were met:

• No Military Command: Spain would be part of NATO, but not fully integrated into its military command. This meant Spain would keep more control over its own armed forces.
• No Nuclear Weapons: Nuclear weapons would not be allowed in Spain. This was a big concern for many people.
• Less US Military: The number of United States military personnel and bases in Spain would be reduced over time.

How Each Region Voted

The table below shows how different regions of Spain voted in the referendum. You can see which regions voted "Yes" (to stay in NATO with the conditions) and which voted "No" (to leave NATO or not accept the conditions).

See also

In Spanish: Referéndum sobre la permanencia de España en la OTAN para niños