A new survey conducted by the research institute Voxmeter for Ritzau shows that EU cooperation among the Danish population continues to enjoy broad support, even though a significant portion believes that the cooperation has become too extensive. The survey reveals that nearly 35 percent of respondents assess that the EU has gained too much influence, while 46 percent believe that the cooperation is at an appropriate level. Additionally, 10 percent desire a more extensive EU cooperation. Election researcher Rune Stubager from Aarhus University explains that skeptics can roughly be divided into two groups. One group thinks that the EU takes on too many tasks, while the other group has always been skeptical of the EU. Despite this skepticism, the survey also shows that 77.1 percent of participating Danes support continued Danish membership in the EU, while 12.6 percent are opposed. Derek Beach, a professor of political science at Aarhus University, notes that support for the EU has generally been high since the UK’s decision to leave the union. He also points out that current political issues such as climate and security policy contribute to the growing support. According to the survey, 34 percent of respondents consider climate and green transition to be the most important political issues, followed by migration, refugees, and integration at 26 percent. Security and defense are the third most prioritized issue, chosen by 23 percent of respondents. These issues are crucial to many voters’ attitudes towards the EU, as they see the EU as an actor that can effectively tackle these challenges.
Danish voters will cast their votes in the European Parliament elections on June 9, while elections in the remaining 26 EU countries will take place from June 6 to June 9. It will be interesting to see how current political issues and the general support for the EU will affect the election results.