1993 Danish Maastricht Treaty referendum

A second referendum on the Maastricht Treaty was held in Denmark on 18 May 1993.[1] After rejecting the treaty in a referendum the previous year, this time it was approved by 56.7% of voters with an 86.5% turnout.[2]

Results by county

  Yes

  No

Background

It was the second attempt to ratify the Maastricht Treaty, which could not come into effect unless ratified by all members of the European Union. Thus, the Edinburgh Agreement granted Denmark four exceptions from the Maastricht Treaty, leading to its eventual ratification.

Results

Choice	Votes	%
For	1,930,391	56.7
Against	1,471,914	43.3
Invalid/blank votes	34,635	–
Total	3,436,940	100
Registered voters/turnout	3,974,672	86.5
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By county

Region	For		Against		Invalid/ blank	Total	Registered voters	Turnout
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Copenhagen & Frederiksberg Municipality	165,469	44.69	204,789	55.31	4,239	374,497	443,444	84.45
Copenhagen County	223,328	55.43	179,589	44.57	3,601	406,518	457,930	88.77
Frederiksborg County	135,740	59.46	92,565	40.54	1,997	230,302	260,378	88.45
Roskilde County	87,768	58.95	61,117	41.05	1,311	150,196	168,528	89.12
West Zealand County	103,915	55.41	83,624	44.59	1,735	189,274	220,084	86.00
Storstrøm County	94,826	55.03	77,490	44.97	1,782	174,098	201,278	86.50
Bornholm County	15,086	53.02	13,366	46.98	415	28,867	34,814	82.92
Fyn County	172,454	56.22	134,317	43.78	3,027	309,798	359,711	86.12
South Jutland County	99,832	61.46	62,609	38.54	1,715	164,156	189,625	86.57
Ribe County	86,284	61.25	54,577	38.75	1,520	142,381	165,827	85.86
Vejle County	133,247	60.77	86,022	39.23	2,327	221,596	256,213	86.49
Ringkjøbing County	114,210	66.42	57,733	33.58	1,989	173,932	201,622	86.27
Århus County	230,835	57.40	171,303	42.60	4,336	406,474	466,296	87.17
Viborg County	92,493	62.79	54,810	37.21	1,719	149,022	174,791	85.26
North Jutland County	174,904	55.90	138,003	44.10	2,922	315,829	374,131	84.42
Source: European Election Database

Aftermath

When the result of the referendum was announced, the outcome and frustrations about the referendum being held only a year after the Danes had rejected the previous treaty led to riots in the Nørrebro area of Copenhagen, during which police trapped by a crowd fired 113 shots into the crowd 11 people were subsequently treated for gunshot wounds as a result of the shooting.[3] 90 police officers were injured during the riots.

Notes

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p525 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Maastricht-traktaten & Edinburgh-afgørelsen 18. maj 1993 EU Oplysningen (in Danish)
3. John, Carvel (20 May 1993). "Police shoot 11 in Copenhagen as anti-Maastricht demonstrators riot after the result". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.