Denmark votes 'yes' to joining EU common defence policy
Nearly two-thirds of Danes voted Wednesday in favour of joining the European Union's common defence policy.
The country's 30-year policy of opting out ended with an overwhelming majority, or nearly 67%, voting in favour of the move, according to Danish public broadcaster DR.
With the result of the referendum, held after Russia launched its war on Ukraine, Denmark will be able to participate in the EU's joint military operations and cooperate to develop the bloc’s military capacity.
The idea of Denmark's involvement in EU defence policies was supported by the Social Democratic government of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and nine political parties. However, two far-right parties and one far-left party were opposed to it.
The EU welcomed the Danish people’s preference for their country to be involved in the bloc’s defence policy.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the move “a historic decision.”
“Yet another important & timely step towards a stronger EU with an even stronger Common Security and Defence Policy,” Borrell said on Twitter.
An EU member since 1973, Denmark held a referendum on the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. In the voting, a special agreement was signed between the EU member states and Denmark with the decision to "reject" the agreement.
