Spaans parlement akkoord met EU-grondwet (en)

Spanish MPs have voted strongly in favour of the European Constitution.

Of the 330 MPs present, 311 voted in favour and just 19 against.

The deputies' vote follows the popular referendum in February in which Spanish citizens also voted strongly in favour of the new charter.

Meanwhile, in Belgium, the senate also voted in favour of the Constitution, approving it by 54 votes to 9 with one abstention.

The lower house must now examine the document before the country's three regional assemblies take a look, according to AFP.

So far, Lithuania, Hungary, Spain, Greece, Slovenia and Italy have all ratified the 465-article Constitution.

However, the big test is expected in a month's time when France votes on 29 May and the Netherlands on 1 June.