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1986 Spanish NATO membership referendum facts for kids

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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
SpainProvinceMapR1986.png
  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.
Question

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?

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).

Region People who could vote Turnout Yes No
Votes  % Votes  %
Andalusia 4,810,221 61.55 1,868,623 67.38 904,635 32.62
Aragon 952,361 60.17 318,640 61.72 197,608 38.28
Asturias 907,599 56.36 273,074 57.28 203,622 42.72
Balearic Islands 524,710 52.03 151,881 61.11 96,663 38.89
Basque Country 1,644,108 65.41 336,518 32.45 700,539 67.55
Canary Islands 1,003,385 55.39 242,015 46.31 280,639 53.69
Cantabria 402,339 59.64 140,251 63.96 79,031 36.04
Castile and León 2,071,409 56.44 627,633 61.54 392,251 38.46
Castilla–La Mancha 1,283,563 58.30 451,729 68.42 208,484 31.58
Catalonia 4,614,731 62.80 1,263,416 46.28 1,466,639 53.72
Extremadura 823,281 61.96 305,219 65.79 158,723 34.21
Galicia 2,220,686 38.51 465,103 59.10 321,809 40.90
La Rioja 202,523 59.97 69,405 63.92 39,174 36.08
Madrid 3,591,044 60.91 1,135,636 56.77 864,700 43.23
Murcia 723,287 61.39 254,572 62.08 155,469 37.92
Navarre 396,841 62.64 99,815 43.28 130,828 56.72
Valencian Community 2,776,354 66.33 1,027,648 60.73 664,465 39.27
Total 29,024,494 59.42 9,054,509 56.85 6,872,421 43.15
Sources

See also

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

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