In a referendum, a clear majority of Danes supported the country’s accession to the EU’s common security and defense policy.
According to the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, all votes have been counted and a total of about 67% were in favor of abandoning a reservation that has excluded Denmark from the EU’s common security and defense policy.
Reservations adopted in 1993 have kept Denmark out of the picture of the EU’s common foreign and security policy.
The country’s prime minister proposed lifting the reservation a couple of weeks after Russia had invaded Ukraine.
The turnout was 66%.
The Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen said in his victory speech that he was pleased with the result of the vote.
– This means that Denmark can now participate in European defense and security cooperation. I am very, very happy about it. – When freedom knocks on the door of Europe and there is war on our continent again, it cannot be neutral. We support Ukraine and the Ukrainians, Mette Frederiksen said.
He welcomes the significant result.
– Tonight, Denmark has sent a very important signal to our allies in Europe and NATO, as well as To Putin. We show that when Putin attacks a free country and threatens the stability of Europe, we are moving others closer together, he says.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted that both the EU and Denmark would benefit from the decision.