Espot sees low turnout at rally as a sign of limited public concern about an EU referendum

Head of Government Xavier Espot has linked the low turnout at Monday’s rally calling for a referendum on the Association Agreement with a lack of public concern about the issue.

“Perhaps we must conclude that this demand is not at the centre of people’s concerns”, he said at the Spanish National Day celebration.

Espot said he wanted to believe that most people understood that signing the agreement does not make it irreversible or bring it into force.

He also said warnings that the agreement could not be reversed and claims of disinformation “have not struck a chord” with the public.

The head of government reiterated that the agreement will not enter into force until a referendum has been held and the General Council has ratified it. The result of the vote will determine whether the agreement is approved and applied.

Espot says holding referendum before election will be difficult

On the timetable, Espot admitted it would be “very difficult” to hold the referendum before the next general election.

He said the European Parliament could not consent to the agreement before late January at the earliest, while the election would need to be called in early February if the current timetable is maintained.

The head of government ruled out holding the referendum and election campaigns at the same time, or calling the referendum 15 days before the election. He therefore said the next government might organise the vote.

Espot argued that the public should vote once the text is final and its details are known. He also called for the debate to focus on the agreement’s concrete effects—its benefits, drawbacks and opportunities—rather than arguments he described as too “conceptual” or “abstract”.

Finally, he reiterated that the agreement will not make Andorra a member state of the EU. He said closer ties with Europe reflect the Principality’s geographical and historical reality, and that voters should have the information they need to assess the agreement before casting their ballots.