Denmark approves joining the EU's defense policy, according to exit polls

The Putin effect, which has led Finland and Sweden, two traditionally neutral countries, to apply for NATO membership, has pushed Denmark to integrate further into the European Union.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
01 June 2022 Wednesday 12:12
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Denmark approves joining the EU's defense policy, according to exit polls

The Putin effect, which has led Finland and Sweden, two traditionally neutral countries, to apply for NATO membership, has pushed Denmark to integrate further into the European Union.

The war in Ukraine has pushed the main political parties in the Nordic country to promote, in record time, a referendum to decide if it is time to renounce the clause that for 30 years has allowed them not to participate in security policy and European defense.

Unlike Sweden and Finland, Denmark is a member of NATO. It is in fact part of the founding countries of the transatlantic military organization. But when in 1992 the Government submitted the Maastricht Treaty to a referendum, with which the European Union prepared for the adoption of the euro and sowed the seeds for the development of a common security and defense policy, and the citizens said 'nej' (no), the European Union had to sit down to negotiate.

The solution to save the treaty, narrowly approved in France, was to offer Denmark three exemption clauses by which the country could remain outside the euro and decisions on defense and justice. Just like that, in 1993, the Danes said 'ja' (yes) to their government's proposal.

In the year 2000, the citizens were again polled about the adoption of the euro but the answer was negative. In 2015, they were asked about integration in decisions on justice and home affairs and, again, they opposed it.

This time, however, with a brutal war on the European continent, the Danes have been sensitive to the arguments of the main political parties and have considered that their country should be fully involved in decisions on security and defense that the EU may take. in the next years.