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Danish daily Berlingske on Thursday published a rare English-language editorial imploring Britain to "please stay" in the EU, amid fears the eurosceptic Scandinavian country could lose a key ally in Brussels.



"As a nation, we in Denmark understand your scepticism about the EU, perhaps better than any other country. Three times we voted no - in 1992, 2000 and 2015 - but never out," the right-wing daily wrote in an editorial it posted in both English and Danish.

"Let us stay and fight for pragmatic, better and more sustainable European solutions," it said, adding that Britain's voice was needed in the EU to "fight for free trade and (for) breaking down regulation and bureaucracy."

A cartoon on the paper's front page showed a door marked with an EU flag slamming shut on a half naked man with a bowler hat and an umbrella, tearing off his Union Jack suit as it closed behind him.

There has been speculation that Denmark — which, like Britain, has euroskeptic tendencies and its own currency — might follow the U.K.’s lead if British voters decide later this month to terminate their nation’s membership in the political bloc. In December, Danes fueled that conjecture by rejecting an opportunity to establish closer ties with the EU by voting down a referendum to adopt the group’s cross-border policing.

Denmark has been a reluctant member of the EU since joining in 1973, rejecting the Maastricht Treaty in a 1992 referendum and only saying "yes" the following year after being granted opt-out clauses on the euro, defence, and justice and home affairs.

Danish voters also rejected joining the euro in 2000, and proposals to lift some of the country's exemptions on EU justice rules were turned down in a referendum in December last year.

Like his British counterpart David Cameron, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen wants to curb European migrants' access to child benefits, but with exports accounting for just over half of the country's economic output there are few politicians who back leaving the bloc completely.

http://www.thelocal.dk/20160623/we-hate-the-eu-too-but-please-stay-danish-daily-urges-britain

And of course Denmark’s support for remaining in the European Union has risen sharply since the UK voted to leave while the number of people demanding a similar referendum has dropped sharply as people saw that it actually can happen if you ask for it and vote for it. The morning after Brexit was announced, Rasmussen ruled out the possibility of the country holding a vote on EU membership.

I actually know a number of people who would really want the referendum to leave the EU to happen and would eagerly vote to leave the EU...if only someone could guarantee that they would definitely lose. Sticking two fingers up at the EU - oh yes please, but actually leaving - oh no!

Date: 2016-07-18 10:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bluemeanybeany.livejournal.com
That is my great fear too - obviously I do want my own country to be successful, but it might be better for Europe generally if we do crash and burn.I don't think we did it do for these reasons, but pre-Brexit there was a suggestion that the UK carried on as projected it could have a go at matching Germany. We all know the Italian economy hasn't got much longer to live, I'm not overly optimistic about Spain or France either, if those deadweight Germany that's going to be problem....and then there's Greece, which is never going to be fine inside the Euro. I think there's about a 50:50 chance that either the UK implodes into a whimper, or it implodes into a Black Hole that sucks everything in, it'll largely depend on the critical mass of London I suspect. If the UK basically runs it's own economic non-political EU then yes I can see theoretically how were going to suck everyone on over to the dark side.

I can only apologise for being such utter bastards quite honestly, but in order to survive I suspect we're going to attempt a much more ruthless, less paternalistic EU Mark II where their aren't any proper rules.

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