1972 Danish European Communities membership referendum

1972 Danish European Communities membership referendum

2 October 1972
Should Denmark join the European Economic Community?
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 1,958,043 63.29% No 1,135,755 36.71% Valid votes 3,093,798 99.38% Invalid or blank votes 19,323 0.62% Total votes 3,113,121 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 3,453,763 90.14%
Results by nomination district and constituency Yes:      50–55%      55–60%      60–65%      65–70%      70%+ No:      50–55%      55–60%      60–65%      65–70%      70%+

A referendum on joining the European Economic Community was held in Denmark on 2 October 1972. The result was 63.3% in favour with a turnout of 90.1%. The law that Denmark should be member of the EEC was passed on 11 October 1972, and Denmark became a member on 1 January 1973.

Background

According to Article 20, section 2 of the Danish constitution, any law that makes limitations to the sovereignty of the Danish state (as membership of the EEC would) must be passed in the Danish parliament with 5/6 of the parliament's members voting for the law. If a majority of members vote for the law, but not by 5/6 majority, and the government wishes to uphold the suggested law, the law can still be passed in a public referendum, as was the case in the 1972 referendum.

According to a 2022 study, municipalities that experienced more German-inflicted violence during the German occupation of Denmark in WWII were more likely to vote against joining the EEC.

Results

Choice	Votes	%
For	1,958,043	63.3
Against	1,135,755	36.7
Invalid/blank votes	19,323	–
Total	3,113,121	100
Registered voters/turnout	3,453,763	90.1
Source: Nohlen & Stöver