On 1 June, citizens will vote for the revocation of the exemption clause
Denmark will hold a referendum on June 1 to join EU defense cooperation. This was announced by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, adding that she “strongly” supports the revocation of the opt-out, the clause that sees Denmark refrain from participating in EU military and defense operations. Frederiksen also indicated plans to increase the Danish defense budget to 2% of GDP in the coming years.
Denmark has obtained an opt-out from some areas of EU cooperation, including the euro and defense and security policy, following its citizens’ vote against the Maastricht Treaty in a referendum in 1992.
Frederiksen’s announcement came after several days of negotiations between different political parties on the possibility of a significant rearmament of the Danish defense. Danish defense spending today equates to 1.47% of GDP and bringing it to 2% represents “the largest investment in recent decades,” said Frederiksen, also underlining the desire to “significantly strengthen both the armed forces and the short and long term “. The Social Democratic leader also expressed her desire to make Denmark “independent of Russian gas”.
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