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1994 Norwegian European Union membership referendum

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FieldValue
titleShould Norway become a member of the EU (European Union)?
countryNorway
date
no1,516,803
yes1,389,997
invalid3,571
total2,910,321
electorate3,266,064
mapNorwegian EU membership referendum, 1994 result by counties.svg
map_divisioncounty

A referendum on joining the European Union was held in Norway on 27 and 28 November 1994. After a long period of heated debate, the "no" side won with 52.2 per cent of the vote, on a turnout of 88.6 per cent. Membership of what was then the European Community had previously been rejected in a 1972 referendum, and by French veto in 1962.

As of 2025, this was the most recent referendum in Norway.

Campaign

The "No" campaign was led by Anne Enger Lahnstein, leader of the Centre Party. The main themes of the "No" campaign were loss of sovereignty if Norway should join the Union, as well as the fundamental differences in economic structure between Norway and the EU, as Norway has an economy based heavily on natural resources (especially oil and fish), in contrast to the EU's more industrial economy.

Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland led the "Yes" campaign. Her party, the Labour Party, was divided on the question of Norwegian membership of the Union. Unlike Trygve Bratteli in 1972, she refused to threaten to resign if the referendum failed to result in a "Yes" vote, on the grounds that more serious divisions could have arisen in the Labour Party. The main arguments of the "Yes" side were that as a European country, Norway belonged in the European Union, and that Norway's economy would benefit from membership.

According to John Erik Fossum, a political science professor at ARENA, Centre for European Studies, University of Oslo, "the fact that Norway had already signed the EEA agreement made it easier for people to vote no because they knew that Norway had assured EU market access."

Debates

1994 Norwegian EU membership debatesDateTimeOrganizersPresent Invitee Non-inviteeApHSpSvKrFFrpVRRefsLabour Party (Norway)}}"Conservative Party (Norway)}}"Centre Party (Norway)}}"Socialist Left Party (Norway)}}"Christian Democratic Party (Norway)}}"Progress Party (Norway)}}"Liberal Party (Norway)}}"Red Electoral Alliance}}"Green Party (Norway)}}"Green Party (Norway)}}"Labour Party (Norway)}}"Labour Party (Norway)}}"Labour Party (Norway)}}"Labour Party (Norway)}}"
25 November 199400:00*NRK***P**
Gro Harlem Brundtland, Thorbjørn Jagland**P**
Jan Petersen**P**
Anne Enger Lahnstein**P**
Erik Solheim**P**
Kjell Magne Bondevik**P**
Carl I. Hagen**P**
Odd Einar Dørum**P**
Aksel Nærstad
INY
9 November 199400:00*NRK and Student Society in Trondheim***P**
Thorbjørn Berntsen**P**
John G. Bernander**P**
Marit Arnstad**P**
Erik Solheim**N**
**N**
**P**
Rune Haaland**P**
Heidi Sørensen
SMELO
14 November 199400:00*NRK at Fokus Kino***P**
Gro Harlem Brundtlan**P**
Kaci Kullmann Five**P**
Johan J. Jakobsen**N**
**P**
Kjell Magne Bondevik**N****P**
Tove Strand**P**
Yngve Hågensen
SMEUN
23 November 199400:00*NRK***P**
Thorbjørn Jagland**P**
Jan Petersen**P**
Anne Enger Lahnstein**P**
Stein Ørnhøi**N****N****P**
Hallvard Bakke**P**
Thorvald Stoltenberg

Official party positions

For a 'Yes' voteFor a 'No' vote

Results

Countrywide

By constituency

ConstituencyElectorateSpoilt votesTotal poll (%)Yes (%)No (%)
Østfold307
Akershus443
Oslo497
Hedmark215
Oppland251
Buskerud240
Vestfold123
Telemark106
Aust-Agder68
Vest-Agder58
Rogaland166
Hordaland244
Sogn og Fjordane52
Møre og Romsdal178
Sør-Trøndelag239
Nord-Trøndelag50
Nordland226
Troms57
Finnmark51
Source: [Dataset European Election Database](http://eed.nsd.uib.no/webview/index.jsp?study=http://129.177.90.166:80/obj/fStudy/NOREF1994_Display&mode=cube&v=2&cube=http://129.177.90.166:80/obj/fCube/NOREF1994_Display_C1&)

References

References

  1. [[Dieter Nohlen. Nohlen, D]] & Stöver, P (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p1438 {{ISBN. 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Bjørklund, Tor. (1997). "Old and New Patterns: The 'No' Majority in the 1972 and 1994 EC/EU Referendums in Norway". Acta Sociologica.
  3. Fossum, John Erik. (2019-08-28). "Norway and the European Union".
  4. link. (2014-11-05 {{in lang). no
  5. Fossum, John Erik. (2019). "What is the Norway Model? Mode of Affiliation or Political Compromise?". The Political Quarterly.
  6. (10 July 2016). "Folkeavstemningen om EU 1994. Partilederdebatt.".
  7. (10 July 2016). "Debatt 21 med EU-folkemøte fra Trondheim".
  8. (10 July 2016). "Debatt 21 med EU-folkemøte i Tromsø".
  9. (10 July 2016). "Debatt 21 med EU-møte fra Oslo.".
  10. (1999-01-01). "Resultat av folkeavstemningen om EU".
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