Denmark to vote on Europe common defence opt-out in wake of Ukraine war
Traditionally eurosceptic Denmark votes today in a referendum on whether to overturn its opt-out on the EU's common defence policy.
The vote comes on the heels of neighbouring Finland's and Sweden's historic applications for NATO membership, and as the war in Ukraine forces countries in Europe to rethink their security policies.
More than 65% of Denmark's 4.3 million eligible voters are expected to vote in favour of dropping the exemption, an opinion poll published on Sunday suggested.
However, analysts' predictions have been more cautious, given the low voter turnout expected in a country that has often said "no" to more EU integration, most recently in 2015.
Opting out
Denmark has been an EU member since 1973, but it put the brakes on transferring more power to Brussels in 1992 when 50.7 percent of Danes rejected the Maastricht Treaty, the EU's founding treaty. 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 and home affairs, and defence.
The defence opt-out means that the Scandinavian country, a founding member of NATO, does not currently participate in EU foreign policy where defence is concerned, and does not contribute troops to EU military missions.
Danish voters were given a final chance to hear from political leaders on Tuesday evening, during a televised live debate.
"I vote yes tomorrow from the heart," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the audience. "When there is a war on our continent, then coming together is the best answer we can give."
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