SAP (Danish Section of the Fourth International) Danish politicians, from left to right, from unions to employers, were united on the referendum: they wanted a 'yes' vote, and were sure they were going to win.
None had expected the 59.3 majority CECCES daastricht while government immediately held a crisis-meeting, the rest of the establishment fumbled for an explanation for their defeat -and started to pin the blame on each other.
But the opposition had no such problems. Around midnight, gathered outside parliament, chanting 'Uffe (the foreign minister) must go!' Inastatement the Unity slate, a coalition of left parties including the SAP, said The Danish people have won a victory over Prime Minister Poul Schluter other bergents part hate of other bourgeois parties, the government will stay. But a number of union leaders, sup ported by a section of the press, ave demanded new elections.
The Unity slate were among the first Schluter administration don'tbelievethat the politicians who called for a 'yes' vote will act in our interests in negotiations with the EC or act against the employers, who are June 13, 1992 No. 23 EC boss Jacques Delors sabotaging the economy. The only democratic solution is to call new parliamentary elections!' Resistance to Maastricht was concentratca among women and working people. Polls showed that 56 per cent of women rejected the treaty, fear. ins that the union would mean an attack on social welfare. blame the EC for high unemplovment and cuts in social welfare and working condiIt was these factors that lay behind maiority no votes in the big cities such as Copennagen and Aalbors as well as areas of high unemployment Italso explains the 64 percent among democrat voters, despite their own party leadets advice 4. As for the parties of the right, no vote was considerably higher than in the EEC referendums of 1972 and 1986. EC policies on agriculture and fishas national sentiments, played a role here. But racist arguments were rare.
The no' campaign was souped around a cemente gainst the EC and 'Denmar . They were backed by the left, from the Socialist People's Party (SF) to the far left. support also came from the ulira-right Progress Party, christians, ex-Communists and members of the Left Socialists. dum was where the campaigners agreed; what to replace it with was where they didn't. Some wanted to accept the Maastricht social charter and environment policy; others wanted Denmark to stay in the EC, but without economic and political union.
The Unity slate, opposing EC membership, have proposed developing relations with other Counties Corole countries, castern Europe, and the third world.
The SAP, Danish section of the Fourth International, has launched a 'Campaign against Fortress Europe. Finn Kjeller explained •We have started to break down Fortress Europe. We want to use our victory to sup port people in other European countries who fight for the same goals.
And we want to go on with new activities against the racism, imperialisn nilitarism of Éurope Ulte - winded by defeat
THE LABOUR leadership camGould has of course made neither state-