A referendum on land laws was held in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

on 25 June 1963. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p524 The four land laws, which had already been passed by the

Danish parliament The Folketing ( da, Folketinget, ; ), also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral national legislature (parliament) of the Kingdom of Denmark—Denmark proper together with the Faroe Islands an ...

, were rejected by voters.http://www.folketinget.dk/pdf/folkeafstemninger.pdf
This is the only time in Danish history that a law passed by parliament was sent to a public referendum by a minority in parliament.

Background

On May 31, 1963,

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Jens Otto Krag Jens Otto Krag (; 15 September 1914 – 22 June 1978) was a Danish politician who served as prime minister of Denmark from 1962 to 1968 and from 1971 to 1972, and as leader of the Social Democrats from 1962 to 1972. He was president of the Nord ...

's two parties in government (the

Social Democrats Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote so ...

and the Social Liberal Party), along with the Socialist People's Party, passed ten land laws in parliament. The remaining parties (the Liberals, the Conservative People's Party, and the Independent Party) voted against the laws.http://www.retsforbundet.dk/artikler/2001/sorthaand.htm
On the same day, 71 of 179 members of parliament (i.e. every member of the Liberals and the Conservative People's Party) handed in a signed decree that a public referendum must be held about four of these laws. In doing so, they invoked chapter 42, section 1 in the

Danish constitution The Constitutional Act of the Realm of Denmark ( da, Danmarks Riges Grundlov), also known as the Constitutional Act of the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply the Constitution ( da, Grundloven, fo, Grundlógin, kl, Tunngaviusumik inatsit), is the c ...

which states that a law that has been passed can be sent to a public referendum if one third of parliament signs a decree.http://www.folketinget.dk/pdf/constitution.pdf
This chapter and section of the constitution had never been used before.

The disputed land laws

Obligatory residence

The first of the four laws sent to public referendum concerned the obligatory residence of agricultural estates in rural areas. According to the law, anyone acquiring an agricultural estate was required to take residence at the estate within six months of the acquisition. Acquisition of more than one such estate was to require permission from the Minister for Agriculture.

State's first option to buy

This law stated that, when a land owner sold a property in a rural area of 1

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100- metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ...

(10,000 m²) or more, the state would have the first option to buy said property. The purpose of the law was to give the state the opportunity to acquire land for use in agriculture, gardening, recreational areas, or public purposes.

Town's first option to buy

Unlike the first two laws, this law centered on properties outside of rural areas, i.e. in towns and the outskirts of towns. The contents and intent of the law were much like those of the laws regarding the ''state's first option to buy'', except that the purchaser would be the

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

and that the law affected properties of 6,000 m² or more.

Preservation of natural amenities

The fourth law was to make it possible to list areas for protection on basis of their natural beauty, their location, or their peculiarity.

Results

Obligatory residence

State's first option to buy

Town's first option to buy

Preservation of natural amenities

Aftermath

As a result of the four laws being rejected, the remaining six laws were withdrawn as well.

Notes

{{Danish elections Referendums in Denmark Danish land laws referendum Land laws referendum Danish land laws referendum Danish land laws referendum