The government has argued for weeks that it is prepared to accept a binding referendum in August, halfway through the president's term as permitted by the Constitution.
It came after a succession of official demands from its Parliament to the Spanish Congress for a binding referendum in 2001, 2004, 2012, and 2013 and again on 17 January and 18 September 2014.9 Quite predictably, since the Spanish constitution does not allow such a referendum and a strong majority of the Spanish MPs rejected it, the Spanish Congress turned down those seven demands.
The 1997 constitution, which rashly fixed the 50% turnout threshold for referendums, was approved by a referendum in which only 43% voted.
16 and 17 year olds already took part in the Scottish independence referendum last year but this would be the first UK-wide referendum in which they participated.
They may even agree to a referendum in which Darfuris could decide their future.
The non-binding referendum in Illinois to raise the minimum wage to $10, from the current statewide $8.25, won as well.
Admittedly this was in part because of an earlier non-binding referendum which the then prime minister had offered by accident (he misread his notes in an interview and chose not to correct himself).
This effort lost momentum after the governor promised to honor the wishes of Emery County residents via a non-binding referendum, which did not pass.
Neither the binding referendum held in Scotland on 18 December 2014, nor the unilateral declaration of independence in Catalonia on 27 October 2017 created a new state.
And following Sunday's participatory process, I believe we have earned the right to a proper legally binding referendum, as in Scotland and Quebec, with all its consequences.
