Suchergebnisse

Within Europe, the Danish electorate is the one that has most often expressed its opinion about the European Union in elections and in national referendums. Votes and attitudes are analysed for the five elections to the European Parliament between 1979 and 1999 and in the six referendums – from the first on membership of the EC in 1972 to the September 2000 referendum on acceptance of the euro, the European single currency. The article gives an overview of the development of Danish public opinion in relation to the European Union from 1960 to 2000, the turnouts at referendums, and the elections and results for the European Parliament. It is shown that since Denmark joined the EU, public opinion has fluctuated greatly, although the balance among Danish European Parliament members has remained stable. The reasons for the frequent use of referendums in Denmark and a thematic outline of the six referendums are put forward. The article concludes with a comprehensive analysis of public attitudes towards the referendum on the euro in 2000. It is shown that regional electoral patterns have vanished, but underlying attitudes are manifested in the public.

The article is based on a newly conducted survey of Danish party members. It shows that Danish party members enrol because of the ideology and national policies of the preferred party, and because they want to support the party. A significant number of members leave their party every year, and as many as one-fifth consider leaving, but new members also enrol. Compared to voters, members are not gender and age representative, but are to some extent representative when it comes to education. Members vary in levels of and types of activities they engage in, ranging from those who only pay dues to a small elite of very active members. Parties as channels of participation are characterized by both vitality and lethargy.