The Cold War, Spain's Entry into NATO, and the 1986 Referendum

Spain’s referendum on continued NATO membership, held on 12 March 1986, was a singular event in Cold War history—the only referendum, to date, within the alliance on membership. Its outcome, ultimately a comfortable victory for the “remain” campaign, has often been overlooked or misremembered. This seminar will place the referendum within the broader context of US-Spain relations under Prime Minister Felipe González and examine how Spain sought to define its role within NATO. Drawing on archival material from Austria, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, West Germany, and other European countries, alongside interviews with senior policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic, the seminar will underscore the dual pressures González faced: external expectations from allies and domestic political contestation.

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K262, CGIS Knafel, 1737 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, United States

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