Although Denmark remained neutral during the First World War, its rapid occupation by Nazi Germany in 1940 persuaded most Danes that neutrality was no longer a reliable guarantee of Danish security. Danish security policy is founded on its membership in NATO. Since 1988, Danish defense budgets and security policy have been set by multi-year agreements supported by a wide parliamentary majority including government and opposition parties. However, public opposition to increases in defense spending--during a period when economic constraints require reduced spending for social welfare--has created differences among the political parties regarding a broadly acceptable level of new defense expenditure. Current resource plans are based on the 1995 defense agreement covering the period 1995-1999. The average percentage of Danish GDP absorbed by defense in 1996 was about 1.5%. |