Danish government wants new referendum on euro

"The government would like voters to have the possibility to take a stand on the Danish EU exemptions in a referendum," Denmark's Liberal-Conservative government, which was re-elected the week before, said in a new policy programme.

After rejecting the EU Maastricht Treaty in 1992, Danes adopted the document in a second referendum in May 1993 after obtaining four exemptions dealing with the euro, joint defence, judiciary cooperation and European citizenship.

Then on September 28, 2000, Danes rejected the single currency in another referendum, with 53 percent voting against the idea.

No time frame was given for when the new vote would take place, but it should happen sometime within the government's four-year mandate period.

It was also not immediately clear whether Danes would be asked to vote on each individual exemption or all four as a block.

"The government believes that time is up for the 1993 exemptions, which were created in a different era and under special circumstances," said Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's coalition government, which has been in power since 2001 and was re-elected on November 13 after a campaign focused on immigration and the country's strong economy.

Rasmussen said during the recent election campaign: "Four opt-outs prevent Denmark from participating fully in the European project."

Danes, who have always been considered fickle EU members, recently seem to have warmed somewhat to the bloc.

A poll published in October showed that 51 percent of nearly 1,000 Danes surveyed said they were in favour of getting rid of the exemption on the euro, while 40 percent said they were opposed to the move.

The poll also indicated a majority of Danes were in favour of lifting the exemptions on joint defence and judiciary cooperation but that 73 per cent wanted to maintain the exemption on European citizenship.

In the Nordic region, only Finland has joined the 13-member eurozone. Neighbouring Sweden has maintained its krona despite EU membership, while Norway and Iceland have rejected even joining the EU.

While Denmark has not been a member of the eurozone, it meets the membership criteria, and Danish monetary policy closely shadows that of the European Central Bank.

The Danish government's new programme, hammered out during a week of bipartisan discussions including all parties in parliament, also included the announcement of a tax reform with a marked reduction in income tax, as well as an increase in international development aid.

Story/Photo   AFP

Vocabulary

currency, n: kind of money used in a country, ie: dollar, baht

Scandinavian, adj: Northern European

referendum, n: election in which people vote for or against an issue instead of for politicians

to take a stand, idiom: to express your opinion officially or publicly

exemption, n: something that is not included on purpose

treaty, n: formal agreement among countries

judiciary, adj: connected with handing out justice, like in a court

block, n: unit of several different items that are put together so they cannot be separated

coalition, n: joining of different political parties for the purpose of working together

bipartisan, adj: including both governing parties and those not in the government, the opposition

Questions

1. What is the referendum going to be about?

a. joining the European Union

b. taking leadership in a European project

c. becoming a member of the Nordic region

d. abolishing exemptions to the Maastricht Treaty

2. When is this referendum going to happen?

a. prior to the last election

b. within the next four years

c. on 28 September of this year

d. before the Maastricht Treaty takes effect

3. What currency is used in Denmark?

a. euro

b. krona

c. dollar

d. pound

4. Which issue is still controversial for the Danes?

a. single currency

b. income tax reduction

c. judiciary cooperation

d. European citizenship

5. Which countries have NOT joined the European Union?

a. Iceland and Norway

b. Ireland and Sweden

c. Denmark and Belgium

d. Denmark and Sweden

Synonyms

Which of the following words or phrases replace the ones from the passage best?

1. firmly

a. strongly

b. officially

c. permanently

d. constitutionally

2. call

a. arrange

b. demand

c. mull over

d. contemplate

3. adopt

a. adjust

b. take on

c. develop

d. produce

4. mandate

a. burden

b. mission

c. obligation

d. authorisation

5. fickle

a. valuable

b. irresolute

c. persistent

d. concerned

KEY

Questions              1. d, 2.  b, 3.  b, 4. d, 5. a

Synonyms              1. a,  2.  a. 3.  b.  4. d. 5. b

By Ajarn Horst Baelz