1972 Danish European Communities membership referendum

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1972 Danish European Communities membership referendum
Flag of Denmark.svg
2 October 1972

Should Denmark join the European Economic Community?
Results
Choice
Votes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svgYes1,958,04363.29%
Light brown x.svgNo1,135,75536.71%
Valid votes3,093,79899.38%
Invalid or blank votes19,3230.62%
Total votes3,113,121100.00%
Registered voters/turnout3,453,76390.14%

Folkeafstemning 1972 - Opstillingskredse.svg
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 63.3% in favour with a turnout of 90.1%. [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]

Contents

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

ChoiceVotes%
For1,958,04363.3
Against1,135,75536.7
Invalid/blank votes19,323
Total3,113,121100
Registered voters/turnout3,453,76390.1
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

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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 Archived 2007-06-10 at the Wayback Machine Ministry of Education of Denmark (in Danish)
  4. 1 2 English version of the Danish constitution Archived February 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  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.