Danish European Communities membership referendum, 1972

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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]

European Economic Community international organisation created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957

The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organisation which aimed to bring about economic integration among its member states. It was created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957. Upon the formation of the European Union (EU) in 1993, the EEC was incorporated and renamed as the European Community (EC). In 2009 the EC's institutions were absorbed into the EU's wider framework and the community ceased to exist.

Denmark constitutional monarchy in Europe

Denmark, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, is a Nordic country and the southernmost of the Scandinavian nations. Denmark lies southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and is bordered to the south by Germany. The Kingdom of Denmark also comprises two autonomous constituent countries in the North Atlantic Ocean: the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Denmark proper consists of a peninsula, Jutland, and an archipelago of 443 named islands, with the largest being Zealand, Funen and the North Jutlandic Island. The islands are characterised by flat, arable land and sandy coasts, low elevation and a temperate climate. Denmark has a total area of 42,924 km2 (16,573 sq mi), land area of 42,394 km2 (16,368 sq mi), and the total area including Greenland and the Faroe Islands is 2,210,579 km2 (853,509 sq mi), and a population of 5.8 million.

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]

Sovereignty concept that a state or governing body has the right and power to govern itself without outside interference

Sovereignty is the full right and power of a governing body over itself, without any interference from outside sources or bodies. In political theory, sovereignty is a substantive term designating supreme authority over some polity.

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 .


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