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AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of Danes, almost 67%, have voted in favour of joining the EU’s common defence policy 30 years after opting out.
The vote comes on the heels of neighbouring Finland and Sweden’s historic applications for Nato membership, as the war in Ukraine forces countries in Europe to rethink their security policy.
“Tonight Denmark has sent a very important signal. To our allies in Europe and Nato, and to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. We’re showing that when Putin invades a free country and threatens stability in Europe, we others pull together,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told cheering supporters.
“Denmark now can partake in the European cooperation on defence and security. And for that I’m very, very happy,” she said.
Denmark’s defence opt-out has meant that Copenhagen, a founding member of Nato, has since 1993 not participated in EU foreign policy where defence is concerned and does not contribute troops to EU military missions.
Earlier in the day, Frederiksen had said as she cast her ballot that Denmark, a country of 5.5 million people, was “too small to stand alone in a very, very insecure world”.
“There was a Europe before 24 February, before the Russian invasion, and there is another Europe after,” she said after the results came in.
“When there is once again war on our continent, you can’t be neutral.”
A total of 66.9% of Denmark’s 4.3 million eligible voters voted in favour of scrapping the opt-out, while 33.1% voted against.
EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel welcomed the result.
Denmark’s decision was a “strong message of commitment to our common security”, von der Leyen tweeted, saying Denmark and the European Union would benefit.
“This decision will benefit Europe and make both the EU and the Danish people safer and stronger,” Michel meanwhile wrote on Twitter.
The traditionally eurosceptic country has often said “no” to greater EU integration, most recently in 2015 when it voted against strengthening cooperation on police and security matters for fear of losing sovereignty over immigration.
Danish opt-outs
Denmark has been an EU member since 1973, but it put the brakes on transferring more power to Brussels in 1992 when 50.7% of Danes rejected the Maastricht Treaty, the EU’s foundation treaty.
It needed to be ratified by all member states to enter into force. In order to persuade Danes to approve the treaty, Copenhagen negotiated a series of exemptions and Danes finally approved it the following year.
Since then, Denmark has remained outside the European single currency, the euro – which it rejected in a 2000 referendum – as well as the bloc’s common policies on justice, home affairs and defence.
Copenhagen has exercised its defence opt-out 235 times in 29 years, according to a tally by the Europa think tank.
Frederiksen announced the referendum just two weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and after having reached an agreement with a majority of parties in Denmark’s parliament, the Folketing.
At the same time, she also announced plans to increase defence spending to two percent of gross domestic product, in line with Nato membership targets, by 2033.
‘Ukraine the major reason’
“These kinds of votes are even more important than earlier. In times of war it’s obviously important to state if you feel that you want to join this type of community or not,” Molly Stensgaard, a 55-year-old scriptwriter, told AFP as she voted in Copenhagen’s city hall.
Nikolaj Jonsson, a 28-year-old sociology student, was however unhappy with the timing of the referendum, saying it had been called “in times of unrest to emphasise a ‘yes’”.
“I don’t think it’s fair to put this ballot right here, right now, because it pushes lots of people toward a yes who would normally be more sceptical toward the EU,” he said.
The director of the Europa think tank, Lykke Friis, told AFP there was “no doubt that Ukraine was the major reason for calling the referendum”.
Eleven of Denmark’s 14 parties had urged voters to say “yes” to dropping the opt-out.
Two far-right eurosceptic parties and a far-left party called for Danes to say “no”, arguing that joint European defence would come at the expense of Nato, which has been the cornerstone of Denmark’s defence since its creation in 1949.
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Big mistake. Hopefully we will have a vote here and I know it will be a resounding no
@Maurice O Neill: If we had a vote on joining the Russian federation I’d imagine you’d vote yes mossie.
@Maurice O Neill: I actually agree. This is a step in the wrong direction amd at the wrong time. It is away from war we should be going at the moment. But you’re 100% wrong. If we had a vote on this; it would pass easily. People have their war caps on at the moment and can’t tell the wood from the trees.
@Tom Leddy: Do not be ridiculous will you . The reason I would vote no is because the Politicians that will drive this agenda will never see any of their kids fighting wars but it will be left to the likes of the working class to provide the their kids if their ever was a war and conscription followed as a result.
@Tom Leddy: Why is everyone who voices an opinion opposed to Ireland joining a military organisation russian supporters?. Ireland isn’t an aggressive country so why should we sign up to join organisations whos member States are known for starting wars and bringing in other members states into that war.
@Roy Dowling: sometimes you have to stand up and fight for what you believe in
@Roy Dowling: becuase as unlikely as it would seem should Ireland get attacked by another country we have no way to defend our self’s. We would depend on those same countries you talk about to come bail us out. Which no matter how you look at it makes us the cowards of Europe.
@John Byrne: And yet none of you are standing up for Ukraine? You’re all here claiming Ireland should fight for freedom yet only fighting your doing is on this. I don’t believe in sending Irish people to die in wars started by the US and UK Which is exactly what happened to Finnish, polish, Romanian, Hungarian, German soldiers and every other NATO state put troops on the ground in the US and UK invasion and they paid the price for someone else war. That’s exactly what will happen to our troops if Ireland joins their military organisations and were forced to go to war for them..
@Roy Dowling:because its our children and our grandchildren that will have to fight and die while the elites sit in their ivory towers, none of their children will have to die needlessly, No To Any War, or any joining of EuroArmy.
@Roy Dowling: those countries weren’t “forced”
@Sean Minihane: it’s more likely that that we’d end up fighting in there wars than Ireland being attacked. Joining them makes us a bigger target and more likely to be attacked at were picking side thus choosing it make their enemies our enemies.
@Graham Manning: Every NATO member state were involved in illegal invasion of Iraq. They suffered loses. Do you really think had Ireland being in NATO we’d have said no when “asked” to join. And yes I said “asked”. Just like turkey will be “asked” to change its vote and let Finland and Sweden join NATO. Proof enough every country in NATO has a right to vote just as long as they vote how they are told. If the biggest member states want something there going to get it.
@Roy Dowling: but If ireland got attacked what do we do? We beg the US and the UK to come save us is the answer. Your presuming by staying neutral makes us less of a target. Russian naval ships were conducting military exercises off the Irish coast a month before the war. Russian state TV is showing clips of Ireland being wiped out by misslles. Everyone knows Ireland is the weak spot of Europe. Neutrality won’t save us in a war.
@Sean Minihane: While russian naval ships were off Ireland coast, British and French ships were in the black sea doing training exercises with Ukrainian navy. The Russian fleet was in a position where it could hit both London and Paris at the same time British and French ships were in a position to strike Russia do you think that’s a coincidence? You also realises ireland is thousands of miles away from Russia. The resources needed for them to get to Ireland and take it and hold onto it would be enormous and would tie up a lot of its navy to our little island. Then take into account that north of Ireland is under British control think of what the would need to to build to put up a border to keep the British out.
@Sean Minihane: And If a war has already started do you think those at war with Russia will allow that massive naval force to move towards Ireland and Britain without attacking it? Do you think Russias enemy in the war is going to say ah that fleet is heading to Ireland chose to remain neutral and not join us so leave the fleet alone lads let the Russians take Ireland.
@Tom Leddy: Varadkar already pushing it,we’ll see how smart you are tom when your young lad is conscripted to fight one of our puppetmasters war’s in a few years?
@Maurice O Neill: Maybe checkout Danish history, look at a map and you might get it.
Occupied by Germany in WW2 AND Russia in the aftermath.
( Russia only left Bornholm on the 5th April 1946 ).
This was never a vote for an EU army but about not having to leave the room every time there was talk about the likes of Pesco ( which Ireland is already a part of ).
@Vonvonic: i for obe would be voting for a big fat yes.
@Maurice O Neill: you can roll over like the other Russian bots. Everyone else will stand up to the violent, narcissistic, deluded aggressor.
@Sean Minihane: Why bother to watch Russian propaganda? There was enough of it from the UK to make any Irish person permanently cynical about Russian scaremongering. Their propaganda is put out to their own captive audience. In the same way that apartheid South Africa had only one State TV channel. Bad enough that their own people are oppressed by their state. Why give them views when you are free to pay no heed to their murderous wishful thinking?
@Sean Minihane: We’re a tiny island nation. Our military isn’t worth a damn. We have no real chance of defending ourselves from a bigger country. If we were attacked then the US would intervene to protect their interests in Shannon airport, the UK to safeguard Northern Ireland, and countries like France, Spain and Germany as our EU partners. You call it cowardice, I call it pragmatism.
Putin bots are out early this morning. The only winners when people agree not to stand up and fight for each others freedom are the aggressive bullies who believe might is right!
@John McG: What about people who think we shouldn’t be fighting at all, and using young men’s blood to settle scores?. The US went all out after 9/11 to make the “freedom” point (that you’re making but would never lift a gun for), and look where we are. Some people are rightly circumspect about war and military escalation.
@John McG: who’s standing and fighting with Ukraine fighting the bully?. Your people why haven’t you stood up to help Ukraine fight the bully?.
@John McG: By very definition; people who are into fighting believe that “might is right”.
@Vonvonic: Can you please tell me what you would do if someone wants something you have and is will to use violence to take it. Just let them take it ?
@John McG: if for what ever reason Ireland is inavded I’ll gladly fight and die for Ireland. But I won’t go fight and die in a far off battlefield in a war started by on of our alliance members which is 99% more likely to happen.
@John McG: That type of thing doesn’t happen to people like me. But my father fought for France in Algeria. His mother was part of the communist party in Brittany at the time and they opposed De Gaul’s torture tactics in Algeria, so my old man laid down his weapon as an objector. He did 2 years in prison in France for that. That was his choice. The man was 6 foot 5. He could have been a killer but he chose not to. I can guarantee you that when he came to Ireland, noone ever tried to take anything from him.
@Vonvonic: De Gualles
i would bet the house on that just yet, people are becoming more subservient, i mean we give out on here but if they continue to instill fear in us, Covid, Russia, Monkeypox, then the sheep will listen to the coyote, and vote for this,
@Darren Murphy: woowoo
@Darren Murphy: And the opposing sheep will listen to a different shepherd but will convince themselves that they are not sheep.
@Darren Murphy: obviously covid, Russia, monkeypix are all fake news, made up to herb the sleep #Sarcasm
We seriously need to hit the reset on this world
Time for hiding behind NATO geographical and militarily is over. We need to start providing for our own defence which is currently nonexistent. We need to pick sides which means aligning with the countries which share our interests and values ie the West
@John Byrne: could we really afford it?
@John Byrne: Are we in danger or something? Our lack of military prowess is what keeps us safe. How do you not understand that?
@Jim Buckley Barrett: we can’t not afford it what’s the cost of a large cyber or territorial attack
@Vonvonic: NATO and the Brits keep us safe although not from cyber attacks remember the HSE one?
@John Byrne: Cyber attacks? Ffs. You think that we should bolster our military because of cyber attacks?
@John Byrne: Incidentally, what do Nato and the Brits keep us safe from exactly?
@Vonvonic: it a new and deadly means of conducting war
Lots of people oversimplifying this issue. Ireland has a very weird portion of society that believes we are untouchable despite our long history. We can either be on the side who wants to defend our society and democracy or not. We can’t have it both ways. Having a defence policy does not make you part of NATO or against the Russia Federation. The EU should defend its borders.
@Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri: 33 Italian soldier lost their lives defending Europe from the threat of Iraq. Italy joined a defensive organisation yet it’s troops died when that organisation started a war. They aren’t the only European who joined the same defence organisation and lost soldiers same war. There border wasn’t attacked yet they still went to war and paid the ultimate sacrifice for it.
@Roy Dowling: Italy joined the invasion of Iraq, not as a committed member of a defense organisation as you suggest. There was no defense organisation. The war in Iraq was based on a pack of lies but no country was compelled to intervene by law. You’re conflating the issues.
@Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri: Funny enough everyone of the members of that defense organisation all decided to become an aggressive nation and fight the massive world threat that was Iraq. Why do you suppose everyone one of them decided to just help inavde Iraq? When they weren’t threatened in anyway by Iraq?. I’ve never claimed their intervention was done by any law. I’m confident enough they were “asked” to get involved by the ones who started the invasion. Just like Ireland would have been “asked” if we were member states .
I do NOT want to see more weapons in the world of any kind. Not in anyone’s hands and not in my children’s. There are enough armed countries in the world. More neutral ones are need now.
* Someone more neutral has to talk armed sides towards peaceful sense. Lets not more join one side or the other. That long term, serves fewer in potential positive outcome.
@Jeff Rudd: the next thing the Danes will join NATO. This is a slippery slope. We have been warned.
putin, the master strategist
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