Brexit Triggers a Surge in Danish Backing to Stay Inside the EU

(Bloomberg) -- Denmark joined the European Union the same year Britain did, back in 1973. But almost half a century later, the two countries have very different feelings toward the bloc.

As Britons plow ahead with their exit plans, an Easter poll shows the Danes are growing much more enthusiastic toward the EU. A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters, according to an Epinion poll published by state broadcaster DR. Before the June 2016 Brexit vote, Danish support for staying in the EU was just 44 percent.

Among young Danes (voters aged 18 to 34), support for EU membership jumped to 50 percent, from 39 percent before the Brexit referendum. Meanwhile, 55 percent of Danish voters who identified themselves as preferring conservative parties want to stay in the EU, compared with 40 percent before June 2016, the Epinion poll showed.

Denmark’s relationship with the EU has historically tracked Britain’s. After first rejecting the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, the Nordic country then voted for the Edinburgh Agreement after winning a number of opt-outs including the right to stay outside the single currency.

To contact the reporter on this story: Peter Levring in Copenhagen at plevring1@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Christian Wienberg at cwienberg@bloomberg.net, Tasneem Hanfi Brögger

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