Referendum to join the European Union
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Today the European Union comprise of 27 member countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Since 1972, 48 referendums have been held by European Union candidates or member countries. The map below created by Reddit user Jkvat shows votes in the referenda to join the European Union.
Top 10 countries whose residents most supported joining the European Union.
| Rank | Country | Votes, % | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Macedonia | 94.2 | 2018 |
| 2 | Slovakia | 93.7 | 2003 |
| 3 | Lithuania | 91.1 | 2003 |
| 4 | Slovenia | 89.6 | 2003 |
| 5 | Hungary | 83.8 | 2003 |
| 6 | Ireland | 83.1 | 1972 |
| 7 | Poland | 77.6 | 2003 |
| 8 | Åland | 73.6 | 1994 |
| 9 | Czech Republic | 77.3 | 2003 |
| 10 | France | 68.3 | 1972 |
The United Kingdom is the only nation as a European Union member state to have held referendums on continued membership of the European Union. In the first referendum in 1975, continued membership of what was then the European Communities was approved by 67.2% of voters. In its second referendum on 23 June 2016, voters voted by 51.89% to leave the European Union. Although the referendum was legally non-binding, the government pledged to execute the result.
Greenland, an autonomous part of Denmark, voted to exit the European Union in a referendum in 1982 by 53 percent of voters.
In addition, the European Union refused to join Norway, Switzerland, and San Marino.
