(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Two-in-five Danish adults would keep their country outside of some of the security and defence policies of the European Union (EU), according to a poll by Catinét Research released by Ritzau. 39.4 per cent of respondents oppose abolishing the EU opt-outs.

In May 1993, Denmark adopted the EU Maastricht Treaty with four exemptions: the adoption of a single European currency, joint defence, judiciary cooperation—which allows Denmark to have its own immigration and asylum policy—and European citizenship.

Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of the Left, Liberal Party of Denmark (V) has said he wants to put the four EU exemptions to a nationwide vote in 2009. Danish voters rejected the euro in a September 2000 plebiscite.

On Aug. 7, Rasmussen conceded that Ireland’s rejection of a new EU common treaty will affect his plans, saying, "The situation is so unclear after the Irish vote that a Danish referendum is no longer relevant."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose abolishing the European Union (EU) security and defence policy opt-outs?

Source: Catinét Research / Ritzau
Methodology: Interviews with 1,070 Dane adults, conducted from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11, 2008. Margin of error is 2.7 per cent.

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