DANISH PRIME minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen is seeking political support for a referendum on adopting the European single currency after the central bank revealed that it used almost a fifth of its reserves last month to defend the krone's peg to the euro.
"I'm convinced that we need broad support in parliament to hold a referendum, because it's about the Danish currency and about stability and safety," he said on Tuesday.
Opinion polls show growing support among Danes for the euro, with just over 50 per cent in favour. But the government fears that this majority could disappear during a referendum campaign unless it has broad political support.
Mr Rasmussen said he would begin talks with opposition parties over the coming days. He refused to be drawn on a date for a referendum.
Danes rejected the euro in a plebiscite in 2000. A second rejection would be very difficult to reverse and could cause severe financial turbulence.
The opposition Social Democrats back the euro, but Mr Rasmussen wants to secure the support of the left-wing Socialist People's Party, which ranks a strong third in opinion polls. The party has warmed to the euro during the financial crisis, but remains deeply divided on the issue.