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These are campaign posters which have been posted in Danish train stations across Demark.  For more information on the campaign of the June Movement please visit www.j.dk  

More than 20 000 people from a wide variety of organisations and from across the political spectrum have signed the petition of the People's Movement. For more information of this please visit the petition website at www.euafstemning.dk.

The People's Movement held their National Congress on the 27^th and 28^th October in Rødovre. During the Congress there was an open meeting on the referendum question. Click here for more information on the Congress.

Showdown in December!

A comprehensive overview on the situation in Denmark

Summarised by Gayle Kinkead, European Referendum Campaign, erc2.org

History of the EU Constitution in Denmark

At the end of November 2004 the Danish Ministry of Justice concluded that the EU Constitution would curb Denmark's sovereignty in a number of areas. According to the Danish constitution a ratification would therefore require a 5/6 majority in the parliament (which was not reachable) or a referendum. The Danish government then decided to ratify the Constitution in a referendum and then later decide in a separate referendum about the Danish opt-outs on EU defence, justice, citizenship and the euro. The EU Constitution also had an impact on political areas relevant to the North Atlantic territories of the Danish Kingdom (Greenland and Faroe Islands). However the Danish government did not want Greenlanders and Faroes to participate in the referendum.

A clear majority of the Danish Socialist People's Party's members approved the EU Constitution in an internal referendum. The Christian Democrat Party were split over the issue, and the left-wing Red-Green Alliance and the right-wing Danish People's Party were opposed to the Constitution. So were the two Danish popular political movements the People's Movement and the June Movement.

The Danish referendum was to be held on the 27 September 2005. However after the French and Dutch no votes the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen called for - along with other European leaders - a period of reflection. On 16 June 2005 Denmark formally postponed the plans for the referendum on the Constitution due to the uncertainty caused by the French and Dutch rejections and the supposed information deficit detected among the Danish population.

For a more detailed analysis of the history of the EU Constitution in Denmark please see: Sørensen, C.; Vestergaard, A.M. (2005), A Perilous Democratic Exercise: The Referendum on the Constitutional Treaty in Denmark, Danish Institute for International Studies, EPIN Ratification Monitor, March 2005

Constitutional requirements

According to the Danish constitution there are three different possibilities:

Possibility 1 - NO transfer of powers from Denmark to the EU level:
a simple majority in parliament is needed for ratification of the Reform Treaty.

Possibility 2 - Transfer of powers from Denmark to the EU level:
a 5/6 majority is needed in parliament. If a 5/6 majority is not reached a referendum has to be called (§ 20 Danish Constitution). Even if a 5/6 majority is reached in parliament a referendum can still be called through a special law (§ 42 I, VI Danish Constitution).

Possibility 3 - Transfer of powers with amendment of Constitution:
If the ratification of the treaty would effect the Danish constitution, a disbandment and re-election, a majority in parliament and a vote from a binding referendum is needed (§ 88 Danish Constitution).

Post Summit 2007

After the June 2007 summit the Danish Prime Minister refering to the newly agreed Reform Treaty stated that "all the symbolic elements are gone, and that which really matters – the core – is left" (Jyllands-Posten 25 June 2007). Despite this clear statement the government’s legal experts and several politicians have stated that they are not sure that the legal experts from the Ministry of Judicial Affairs will decide that a Danish referendum on the Reform Treaty is required, thereby making it an entirely political question whether there will be a referendum or not. A mayority at the Social Liberal Party's congress decided in September 2007 that the party will only support a referendum if it is legally necessary. The Social Democrats will make up their mind on the referendum question in January 2008 (Berlinge Tidende 10th of October 2007). The governments legal experts will only analyse at the treaty once it is finished.

Danish Referendum Movements

As well as the June Movement and the People's Movement; the Socialist People's Party, the left-wing Red-Green Alliance the center-right party New Alliance, the Christian Democrats and the right-wing Danish People's Party are supporting the idea of a referendum. Leaders of both the Danish branch of the European Movement and their youth wing (European Youth) have also voiced support for a referendum on the new treaty. Many Danish MEPs are also in favour of a holding a referendum on the new Treaty. Both the June Movement and the People’s Movement are petitioning and campaigning for a referendum in Denmark. The Socialist People's Party together with the Danish People's Party have already tabled a proposal for a referendum in the Folketinget (Danish Parliament). After first opposing the idea to hold a referendum on the new treaty, the Social Liberal Party has come out stating that they believe a referendum should be held regardless of whether one is legally required or not. (EUObserver 10 October 2007)

Other organisations campaigning for a referendum include: the citizens' initiative Yes to Europe - No to EU constitution ( www.euforfatningnej.dk ), the think tank New Agenda ( www.nyagenda.dk ), The EU-critical Center Right Organisation Challange Europe ( www.udfordringeuropa.dk ), the democracy organisation Necessary Forum www.nodvendigtforum.dk and the organsation Free Nordic Countries www.fritnorden.dk all support idea of a referendum.

The coalition government made up of the Liberals and the Conservative People’s Party are against holding a referendum, as are the opposition Danish Social Liberal Party. However within each party there are fractions that support a referendum, including the EU-critical Network of the Social Liberal Party. The former Chairman of the governing Conservative Party in Denmark, Pia Christmas-Møller, has also spoken out in favour of a referendum on the revised Constitution stating that "We have nothing to hide, and it would be idiotic to act as if we had. It would only cement a faulty perception among the people...[a referendum] is essential to secure long-term backing of the citizens. Danes are among the best informed in the EU thanks to our referendums”. She said that not consulting the people would risk further “alienating” voters, warning that the government could pay a high political price down the road (EUObserver 28 September 2007)

A referendum for Denmark

The Danish version of the EUObserver has reported that the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has announced that a decision whether or not to hold a referendum in Denmark on the new treaty will be taken in December. Only if the final text of the treaty is known can a decision be taken. This gives hope to those campaigning for a referendum in Denmark, because, at least their government has at last realised that there is something to be decided upon, and the new Reform Treaty is not just another EU “tidying-up” exercise.

Newest developments

New Danish poll about referendum:
Question: According to your opinion should there be held a referendum in Denmark about EU's so called Reform Treaty?
54% Yes  26% No - 20% Do not know (Gallup/Berlingske Tidende 11th of October 2007)

Politicians (who has been critical to referendum) also soften their view about wheather it is only a legal question: Both the Social Democratic chairman Helle Thorning and the Liberal governmental party Venstre's MP Charlotte Antonsen now beleive that it is also a question about the political content of the treaty. Antonsen is Venstres spokesperson on EU matters. Source: Berlingske Tidende

25 October 2007 - Early elections in Denmark
The Danish PM Fogh Rasmussen wants to use the leading position of his coalition government in the polls and announced an early election in Denmark on 13th November 2007. It is obvious that the parties have to position themselves also in the question of a referendum on the EU reform treaty.

11 December 2007 - Rasmussen says no to a referndum
The Danish government has declared that it will not be holding a referendum on the reform treaty.

8 January 2008 - Danish campaigns still going strong
Despite the governments announcement not to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty the campaigns against the undemocractic process of ratification of the Lisbon Treaty are still going strong. They hope to introduce democray into this porcess still.  More information on their progress shall follow shortly.