COPENHAGEN: Denmark has voted to join the European Union's (EU) defence accord, ending a 30-year opt-out from the bloc's common security and defence policies.
According to preliminary results from Statistics Denmark, a great majority of Danish citizens, or 66.9%, voted in favour of the move in a referendum held on Wednesday. The Nordic country will now have a seat at the EU table to discuss military cooperation. A total of 65.76 percent of the 4,260,944 voters cast ballots in the election.
"I believe it is the right thing for Europe, for Denmark, and for our future," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said after voting earlier in the day, feeling that Denmark may be more united on EU policy than ever before.
Denmark could not take part in EU military operations or collaboration on the development and procurement of military capabilities because of the defence opt-out. Furthermore, the country was not required to offer military assistance or supplies to EU-led initiatives in conflict zones, nor to take part in operational decisions or planning.
In March, the Danish Parliament voted to hold a referendum on the Russian-Ukraine conflict on June 1 as part of a new multi-party defence pact.
Furthermore, according to the agreement, Denmark aspires to fulfil NATO members' objective defence spending of 2% of GDP by 2033, with efforts beginning in 2024.
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