Soldiers march in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and a wreath-laying ceremony at Castellet in Copenhagen, Denmark, October 24, 2020. Ritzau Scanpix / Olafur Steinar Gestsson via REUTERS / File Photo
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COPENHAGEN, June 1 (Reuters) – Danes voted Wednesday to decide whether to join the European Union’s defense policy, potentially becoming the bloc’s last push to sign as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forces countries to radically reassess their security.
Denmark is the only member of the 27-nation bloc that is not in the Common Security and Defense Policy after securing exceptions to it and the euro’s currency in the 1993 referendum on the Maastricht Treaty, which laid the foundations of the modern EU.
If notorious EU-critical Danes vote to lift the refusal, according to polls, it will mean another significant change in European policy after Russia launched the invasion in February.
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Sweden and Finland decided to apply for NATO membership this month. Both Denmark and Germany have already promised to sharply increase defense spending. Read more
“NATO will, of course, remain our most important instrument, but the EU is giving us another instrument to secure our defense in the east,” said Mogens Jensen, a spokesman for the ruling Social Democrats.
Denmark is a founding member of NATO, but the alliance’s largest military force, the United States, has signaled that European allies must take greater responsibility for their own security.
Participation in the Common Security and Defense Policy would allow Denmark to participate in joint EU military operations, such as those in Somalia, Mali and Bosnia.
And while the EU will benefit from Denmark’s extensive experience in military operations as part of NATO and other alliances, the “yes” vote will be seen largely as a symbolic victory in Brussels, according to Christian Sobi Christensen, a senior researcher at the University of Copenhagen Military research.
“The political significance will outweigh the military contribution,” Christensen told Reuters.
A large majority in parliament recommended the abolition of non-participation. Wednesday’s vote will be the third such attempt by Danish lawmakers to repeal one of the 1993 denials after the 2000 euro and justice and home affairs votes in 2015, both of which failed.
Preliminary polls show a solid lead for those who vote in favor of eliminating non-participation, with nearly 48% in favor and 31% against.
Opponents argue that EU defense cooperation is strained by bureaucracy and inefficient decision-making, while fearing the prospect of having to contribute to a potential EU supranational army.
The EU has no plans to create a supranational army in the bloc, but has decided to form a rapid deployment force of up to 5,000 troops. Read more
Polling stations close at 18:00 GMT. The result is expected late in the evening.
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Report by Nikolai Skidsgaard; Edited by Alison Williams
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