ABSTRACT
On 28 November 1994, the Norwegians for the second time rejected EU membership despite the government’s strong appeal for a ‘Yes’. The margin was this time smaller: 52.2 per cent against and 47.8 per cent for, whereas in September 1972 the figures were 53.5 and 46.5 respectively. As in 1972, the referendum also took place after a long and intense debate that was almost a repetition of the previous one. Participation was even higher, as the record turnout of 87.9 per cent shows. The dividing lines in the population were almost exactly the same. Several of the political parties - including the governing Labour Party-were split on the question of membership, as they were in 1972. And, most importantly, the road to membership was again effectively blocked by a referendum majority vote. Although the referendum was only consultative, the government had also made it perfectly clear that it would consider the outcome as politically decisive.
