Danish Maastricht Treaty referendum, 1993
Encyclopedia
A second referendum on the Maastricht Treaty
was held in Denmark
on 18 May 1993. After rejecting the treaty in a referendum
the previous year, this time it was approved by 56.7% of voters with an 86.5% turnout.
. Thus, the Edinburgh Agreement
granted Denmark four exceptions from the Maastricht Treaty, leading to its eventual ratification.
area of Copenhagen
, during which the police fired 113 shots into a crowd when it was trapped. 11 people were subsequently treated for gunshot wounds.
Maastricht Treaty
The Maastricht Treaty was signed on 7 February 1992 by the members of the European Community in Maastricht, Netherlands. On 9–10 December 1991, the same city hosted the European Council which drafted the treaty...
was held in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on 18 May 1993. After rejecting the treaty in a referendum
Danish Maastricht Treaty referendum, 1992
A referendum on the Maastricht Treaty was held in Denmark on 2 June 1992. It was rejected by 50.7% of voters with a turnout of 83.1%. The rejection was considered somewhat of a blow to the process of European integration, although the process continued...
the previous year, this time it was approved by 56.7% of voters with an 86.5% turnout.
Background
It was the second attempt to ratify the Maastricht Treaty, which could not come into effect unless ratified by all members of the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Thus, the Edinburgh Agreement
Edinburgh Agreement
The Edinburgh Agreement or Edinburgh Decision is a December 1992 agreement reached at a European Council meeting in Edinburgh, UK, that granted Denmark four exceptions to the Maastricht Treaty so that it could be ratified by Denmark. This was necessary because, without all member states of the...
granted Denmark four exceptions from the Maastricht Treaty, leading to its eventual ratification.
Results
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 1,930,391 | 56.7 |
| Against | 1,471,914 | 43.3 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 34,635 | – |
| Total | 3,436,940 | 100 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||
Aftermath
When the result of the referendum was announced, the outcome and frustrations about the referendum being held only a year after the Danes had rejected the previous treaty led to riots in the NørrebroNørrebro
Nørrebro is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is northwest of the city centre, beyond the location of the old Northern Gate , which, until dismantled in 1856, was near the current Nørreport station.-Geography:...
area of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, during which the police fired 113 shots into a crowd when it was trapped. 11 people were subsequently treated for gunshot wounds.