Thursday 22 November 2007

Danish Governemnt Wants to Hold Fresh Referendum on Euro

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BBC: The Danish government has said it would like to hold a fresh referendum on whether to adopt the euro.

Back in 2000, the Danish people voted by 53% to 47% not to join the single currency and instead keep the krone.

Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, whose centre-right government was re-elected last week, said "the time was approaching" to reassess the euro.

He said he also wanted the referendum to look at ending Denmark's opt-outs in defence, justice and home affairs.

Denmark was granted the four exemptions after voters rejected the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. They adopted the document the following year.

"It is the government's view that the people in this parliamentary term should have the opportunity to take a stance on the Danish EU opt-outs," said Mr Rasmussen.

The referendum will take place at some stage in the next four years, he indicated.

A member of the European Parliament for the opposition Social Democrats, Dan Jorgensen, said his party had been asking for a vote for several years but it was a difficult thing to do in Denmark and its leaders had tended to avoid taking the risk because "the EU is always controversial". Denmark planning new vote on euro (more)

LE MONDE:
Le Danemark prêt à organiser un nouveau référendum sur l'adoption de l'euro

Mark Alexander