---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We cannot say no to what has already been…"
description: "\"We cannot say no to what has already been approved by the citizens.\" — Carles Puigdemont"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/carles-puigdemont-14936_approved_we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-bee_2137748.jpg"
---

#  We cannot say no to what has already been approved by the…

![“We cannot say no to what has already been approved by the citizens.” quote by Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/carles-puigdemont-14936_approved_we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-bee_2137748.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/carles-puigdemont-14936_approved_we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-bee_2137748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/carles-puigdemont-14936_approved_we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-bee_2137748.jpg)

> “We cannot say no to what has already been approved by the citizens.”

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People cannot reject decisions already made by voters, even if they disagree.

**In simple terms:** We must respect approved choices.

Key Takeaway

Respect democratic outcomes.

Themes

democracy public policy obedience politics

Mood

serious thoughtful

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- Legislative processes
- public referenda
- policy implementation

Key Concepts

legitimacy public will civic duty

Questions to Reflect On

- Should all approved policies be followed?
- How to address dissent?

A Different Perspective

It may ignore minority concerns.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Approved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approved/) [Approved Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approved-citizens-4436884/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Cannot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannot/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Say Approved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-approved-4436885/) [We cannot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/we-cannot/)

## Related quotes

> [We cannot stop anyone from criticising us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/we-cannot-stop-anyone-from-criticising-us/)

[Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/)

> [We cannot really communicate with our fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-tylo/we-cannot-really-communicate-with-our-fans/)

[Hunter Tylo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-tylo/)

> [All of us suffer some injuries from experiences that seem to have no rhyme or reason. We cannot understand or explain them. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/all-of-us-suffer-some-injuries-from-experiences-that-seem-to-have-no/)

[James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/)

> [If we cannot accurately measure poverty, we surely cannot accurately measure our efforts to tackle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/if-we-cannot-accurately-measure-poverty-we-surely-cannot-accurately/)

[Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/)

> [We cannot know the young child's personality by studying his systems of interest, for his attention is as yet too labile, his reactions impulsive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-cannot-know-the-young-child-s-personality-by-studying-his-systems/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Tennis is like, it gives you a lot of chances, but if you don't take those chances, it takes a lot of chances away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sania-mirza/tennis-is-like-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-chances-but-if-you-don-t-take/)

[Sania Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sania-mirza/)

> [No matter how many troops we have in place or how long they stay, we cannot impose a parliamentary democracy there any more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clooney/no-matter-how-many-troops-we-have-in-place-or-how-long-they-stay-we/)

[Nick Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clooney/)

> [We cannot hide from history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/we-cannot-hide-from-history/)

[Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/)

> [We cannot afford to have lies in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bibi-bourelly/we-cannot-afford-to-have-lies-in-music/)

[Bibi Bourelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bibi-bourelly/)

> [If we cannot come together to pause, to respect our dead and the heroic lives of meaning they led, then ours is truly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/if-we-cannot-come-together-to-pause-to-respect-our-dead-and-the/)

[Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/)

> [Living as we do with a veil over our eyes, we cannot remember what it was like to be with our Heavenly Father and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/living-as-we-do-with-a-veil-over-our-eyes-we-cannot-remember-what-it/)

[Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/)

> [If we cannot by reason, by influence, by example, by strenuous effort, and by personal sacrifice, mend the bad places of civilization, we certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-we-cannot-by-reason-by-influence-by-example-by-strenuous-effort/)

[Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/)

> [We live in a world of diverse cultures, and we know very little about social engineering and how to 'build nations.' And when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/we-live-in-a-world-of-diverse-cultures-and-we-know-very-little-about/)

[Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/)

> [While we welcome people of all faiths in America we cannot be so naive as to expect all countries to do the same. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-huffington/while-we-welcome-people-of-all-faiths-in-america-we-cannot-be-so/)

[Michael Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-huffington/)

> [We cannot forget the little things we take for granted in America that remain the disdain of dictators and terrorists throughout the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-lott/we-cannot-forget-the-little-things-we-take-for-granted-in-america/)

[Trent Lott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-lott/)

## More by Carles Puigdemont

> [Catalan politics emancipated from the Spanish politics on September 27, 2015. Since then, we've acted with a sovereign mentality, political sovereignty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/catalan-politics-emancipated-from-the-spanish-politics-on-september/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [With Rajoy, there is a taboo topic, which is the aspiration of Catalonia to decide its future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/with-rajoy-there-is-a-taboo-topic-which-is-the-aspiration-of/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [We're seeing a reaction - and people taking to the streets with pots and pans - in areas where the independence movement isn't supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/we-re-seeing-a-reaction-and-people-taking-to-the-streets-with-pots/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [We must have serious dialogue between Catalonia and the Spanish state on a referendum, on independence, and on how a separation from Spain -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/we-must-have-serious-dialogue-between-catalonia-and-the-spanish-state/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [In 2010, the Spanish constitutional court annulled a large part of the Catalan statute of autonomy negotiated between Catalonia and the previous prime minister,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/in-2010-the-spanish-constitutional-court-annulled-a-large-part-of-the/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [I express Catalonia's wish of being in the E.U. We'll see what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/i-express-catalonia-s-wish-of-being-in-the-e-u-we-ll-see-what-happens/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [I don't believe there will be anyone who will use violence or who will want to provoke violence that will tarnish the irreproachable image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/i-don-t-believe-there-will-be-anyone-who-will-use-violence-or-who/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [If Madrid does not want an accord, and the majority of Catalans want an independent state, how can you avoid that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/if-madrid-does-not-want-an-accord-and-the-majority-of-catalans-want/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [Spain's constitution was introduced to cement democracy after Franco's dictatorship, but this government is exploiting its wording as a means to deny us our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/spain-s-constitution-was-introduced-to-cement-democracy-after-franco/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [The best leaders don't set timid and selfish goals but instead set bold targets that may be harder to achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/the-best-leaders-don-t-set-timid-and-selfish-goals-but-instead-set/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [The alternative to independence is decline, because the relationship with the Spanish state is not good; everyone knows that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/the-alternative-to-independence-is-decline-because-the-relationship/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [Our plan is what the Scottish government had with the U.K. It's an agreement to consult over the independence of Catalonia. And we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/our-plan-is-what-the-scottish-government-had-with-the-u-k-it-s-an/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [The welfare of Catalonia is only possible outside of Spain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/the-welfare-of-catalonia-is-only-possible-outside-of-spain/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [If you're hungry, you know that you want to eat. You don't know what's on the menu - perhaps it's not your favorite dish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/if-you-re-hungry-you-know-that-you-want-to-eat-you-don-t-know-what-s/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

> [They are very brave when they talk about other countries where they have no competencies, but where are they when we citizens need them?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/they-are-very-brave-when-they-talk-about-other-countries-where-they/)

[Carles Puigdemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

[Explore all 44 Carles Puigdemont quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/)

## More Approved quotes

> [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/)

[Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/)

> [Foreign journalists have to have an approved interpreter assigned them, which they have to pay for, who also acts as guide. As an Iranian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/foreign-journalists-have-to-have-an-approved-interpreter-assigned/)

[Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/)

> [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [The White House approved an exemption in Obamacare coverage for Congress and members of their staff. Members complained that the Affordable Care Act will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-white-house-approved-an-exemption-in-obamacare-coverage-for/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [When I came to explain to them the 'Nelson Touch', it was like an electric shock. Some shed tears, all approved - 'It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/when-i-came-to-explain-to-them-the-nelson-touch-it-was-like-an/)

[Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/)

> [As much as the next person, I want to be approved of, but I'm not greedy for that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/as-much-as-the-next-person-i-want-to-be-approved-of-but-i-m-not/)

[Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/)

> [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/)

[Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/)

> [In my schoolboy days I had no aversion to slavery. I was not aware there was anything wrong about it. No-one arraigned it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-my-schoolboy-days-i-had-no-aversion-to-slavery-i-was-not-aware/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [When I first began examining the global-warming scare, I found nothing more puzzling than the way officially approved scientists kept on being shown to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-booker/when-i-first-began-examining-the-global-warming-scare-i-found-nothing/)

[Christopher Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-booker/)

> [There is nothing that can bring you closer to fearlessness about everything else in the world than being a parent - because everyday fears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/there-is-nothing-that-can-bring-you-closer-to-fearlessness-about/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [I should have known something was wrong with my first wife. When I brought her home to meet my parents, they approved of her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-should-have-known-something-was-wrong-with-my-first-wife-when-i/)

[Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/)

> [You wouldn't want to live a life in which you are loved or approved by all people on Earth or even within your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-wouldn-t-want-to-live-a-life-in-which-you-are-loved-or-approved/)

[John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/)

> [That which concerns everyone must also be discussed and approved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-verhofstadt/that-which-concerns-everyone-must-also-be-discussed-and-approved-by/)

[Guy Verhofstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-verhofstadt/)

> [ You have not been mistaken in supposing my views and feeling to be in favor of the abolition of war. Of my dispos\[i\]tion to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/you-have-not-been-mistaken-in-supposing-my-views-and-feeling-to-be-in/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [I think Martin Luther King would always keep track of collective insurgencies among poor and working people. He was concerned about the treatment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-think-martin-luther-king-would-always-keep-track-of-collective/)

[Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/)

[Browse all 251 Approved quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approved/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We cannot say no to what has already been approved by the citizens.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Carles Puigdemont"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-been-approved-by-the-citizens/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Approved"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-been-approved-by-the-citizens/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/carles-puigdemont-14936_approved_we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-bee_2137748.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/carles-puigdemont-14936_approved_we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-bee_2137748.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/carles-puigdemont-14936_approved_we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-bee_2137748.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We cannot say no to what has already been approved by the citizens.” — Carles Puigdemont",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Carles Puigdemont",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puigdemont/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We cannot say no to what...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-been-approved-by-the-citizens/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puigdemont/we-cannot-say-no-to-what-has-already-been-approved-by-the-citizens/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
