COPENHAGEN: After staying out of the Eu Union’s commonplace defence coverage for 30 years, Denmark votes Wednesday in a referendum on whether or not to overturn its opt-out after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Greater than 65 p.c of the rustic’s 4.3 million eligible electorate are anticipated to vote in favour of shedding the exemption, the newest opinion ballot printed on Sunday advised.
Analysts’ predictions have alternatively been wary, given the low voter turnout anticipated in a rustic that has continuously stated “no” to additional EU integration, maximum lately in 2015. “We will have to all the time solid our ballots when there’s a vote”, High Minister Mette Frederiksen instructed Danes within the ultimate televised debate of the marketing campaign on Sunday.
“I imagine with all my center that we need to vote sure. At a time once we wish to combat for safety in Europe, we wish to be extra united with our neighbours”, she stated. Denmark has been an EU member since 1973, nevertheless it put the brakes on shifting extra energy to Brussels in 1992 when 50.7 p.c of Danes rejected the Maastricht Treaty, the EU’s founding treaty.
It had to be ratified by means of all member states to go into into power. With a view to convince Danes to approve the treaty, Copenhagen negotiated a chain of exemptions and Danes in spite of everything authorized it the next yr. Since then, Denmark has remained outdoor the Eu unmarried foreign money, the euro — which it rejected in a 2000 referendum — in addition to the bloc’s commonplace insurance policies on justice and residential affairs, and defence.
‘Ukraine the main reason why’
The defence opt-out implies that the Scandinavian nation, a founding member of NATO, does no longer take part in EU overseas coverage the place defence is anxious and does no longer give a contribution troops to EU army missions. Denmark is the one nation to have negotiated a defence opt-out, even though Malta stays de facto outdoor as smartly. Copenhagen has exercised its opt-out 235 occasions in 29 years, consistent with a tally by means of the Europa suppose tank.
Danish PM Frederiksen referred to as the referendum simply two weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and after having reached an settlement with a majority of events in Denmark’s parliament, the Folketing. On the similar time, she additionally introduced plans to extend defence spending to 2 p.c of GDP, in step with NATO club necessities, by means of 2033.
“It used to be a large wonder”, stated the director of the Europa suppose tank, Lykke Friis. “For the previous many, a few years, no person idea that the federal government would put the defence opt-out to a countrywide referendum”, she stated. “There’s without a doubt that Ukraine used to be the main reason why for calling the referendum.”
Berlin’s announcement that it used to be reversing many years of defence coverage by means of vastly mountain climbing its army spending additionally performed a key function within the Danish determination, Friis stated. Germany is Denmark’s closest best friend, together with the US. “The actual fact that they stepped up their recreation put Denmark able the place lets no longer disguise in the back of Germany to any extent further”.
‘NATO is sufficient’
11 of Denmark’s 14 events have instructed electorate to mention “sure” to shedding the opt-out, representing greater than three-quarters of seats in parliament. Two far-right eurosceptic events — the Danish Other people’s Celebration and The New Proper — in addition to the far-left Cohesion Listing, have in the meantime referred to as for Danes to mention “no”. Considered one of their major arguments is that the emergence of a joint Eu defence would come on the expense of NATO, which has been the cornerstone of Denmark’s defence since its introduction in 1949.
“NATO is the guarantor of Denmark’s safety. It could be completely other if it had been determined in Brussels,” the top of the Danish Other people’s Celebration Morten Messerschmitt argued all through Sunday’s debate. After Finland and Sweden lately reversed many years of army non-alignment to use for club in NATO, and the Danish referendum, the 3 Nordic neighbours may just all in finding themselves doubled up on Eu defence coverage and NATO club. The result of the referendum are anticipated round 11:00 pm (2100 GMT) on Wednesday.
Denmark’s independent territories of Greenland — which isn’t within the EU — and the Faroe Islands aren’t taking part within the referendum. In December 2015, Danes voted “no” to strengthening their cooperation with the Eu Union on police and safety issues for worry of dropping their sovereignty over immigration. – AFP