PARIS, Feb 20 (AFP) - French President Jacques Chirac hailed Spain's overwhelming "yes" vote to the EU constitution, saying it showed the way to other countries who also are planning referendums on the issue, his office said Sunday.

Chirac wrote to Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to offer his "warmest congratulations on the success of the referendum which allows the Spanish people to show, after a great democratic debate, their support for the ratification of the constitutional treaty."

"This 'yes' from the Spanish people for the constitution and for Europe is a strong sign of and shows the way to other countries who will ratify this treaty in the months to come," Chirac said in the message, released by his office.

The president said he was "very happy" to have been at Zapatero's side on February 11 in Barcelona to "underline what is at stake and the importance of such a treaty."

Spaniards gave a resounding seal of approval to the new European Union constitution in a Sunday referendum, with nearly four in five of those casting ballots backing the text, final official results showed.

Spain was the first of 10 EU states, including France, called upon to give the proposed constitution its popular backing. The 15 other member states of the bloc, including the largest nation, Germany, preferring parliamentary ratification.