Sir, - In response to the letter by Kevin Donegan (June 13th). I must disagree with his assertion that "a massive 65.21 per cent of the population had no voice in this matter". In fact 100 per cent of the population of registered voters had a voice on this matter, but only 34.79 per cent of them were bothered/able/informed enough to cast their vote in the referendum.
In Australia and Luxembourg voting is obligatory but the proportion of spoiled votes is also higher, much for the same reason as low turn-outs in other countries - voter apathy.
The cornerstone of democracy is the right to voice your opinion, not the obligation to do so. If you feel that casting your vote in any referendum is worth less than not casting it, then any obligation to vote is unlikely to change your mind. - Yours, etc.,
Killian McCarthy, Seville, Spain.