1972 Danish European Communities membership referendum

1972 Danish European Communities membership referendum

2 October 1972
Should Denmark join the European Economic Community?
Results
Choice Votes  % Yes 1,958,043 63.29% No 1,135,755 36.71% Valid votes 3,093,798 99.38% Invalid or blank votes 19,323 0.62% Total votes 3,113,121 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 3,453,763 90.14%
Results by nomination district and constituency Yes:      50–55%     55–60%     60–65%     65–70%     70%+ No:      50–55%     55–60%     60–65%     65–70%     70%+

A referendum on joining the European Economic Community was held in Denmark on 2 October 1972. ^[1] The result was 63% in favour with a turnout of 90%. ^[2] The law that Denmark should be member of the EEC was passed on 11 October 1972, and Denmark became a member on 1 January 1973. ^[3]

Background

According to Article 20, section 2 of the Danish constitution, any law that makes limitations to the sovereignty of the Danish state (as membership of the EEC would) must be passed in the Danish parliament with 5/6 of the parliament's members voting for the law. ^[4] If a majority of members vote for the law, but not by 5/6 majority, and the government wishes to uphold the suggested law, the law can still be passed in a public referendum, as was the case in the 1972 referendum. ^[4]

According to a 2022 study, municipalities that experienced more German-inflicted violence during the German occupation of Denmark in WWII were more likely to vote against joining the EEC. ^[5]

Results

Choice		Votes	%
For		1,958,043	63.29
Against		1,135,755	36.71
Total		3,093,798	100.00
Valid votes		3,093,798	99.38
Invalid/blank votes		19,323	0.62
Total votes		3,113,121	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		3,453,763	90.14
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

See also

• Danish withdrawal from the European Union

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p524 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Nohlen & Stöver, p534
3. Danmarkshistorien: Ja til EF 1972 Ministry of Education of Denmark (in Danish)
4. English version of the Danish constitution Folketing
5. Aaskoven, Lasse (2022). "Foreign Occupation and Support for International Cooperation: Evidence from Denmark". World Politics. 74 (2): 285–325. doi:10.1017/S004388712200003X. ISSN   0043-8871. S2CID   248267466.