4th January 2005

Official complaints against the government

The Spanish campaign group ‘Otra Democracia Es Posible‘ (Another Democracy Is Possible - www.otrademocraciaesposible.net) makes a complaint at the National Electoral Commission (JEC) against the content of the mentioned homepage www.constitucioneuropea.es that was established by the Spanish foreign ministry to provide information on the forthcoming referendum on ratification of the European Constitution. A similar complaint is done by the Platform against the European Constitution in Cantabria against the Government of Cantabria (in the North of Spain).

Propaganda “to condition” the public vote

According to OtraDem the website content infringes the General Law of Publicity 34/1988 (LGP), which proscribes ‘illicit’ (deceptive, unfair or subliminal) publicity. Under this law, publications issued by government and relating to elections or referendums which are electoral propaganda could be defined as ‘illicit publicity’.

The National Electoral Commission (JEC) defined such propaganda as “any activities or statements designed to gain or condition the public vote”. And they would have the right to regulate publications of electoral propaganda even if it emerges outside the period of the official campaign (according to several JEC Settlements).

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