Norwegians' support for joining the European Union has plunged as the bloc battles rising unemployment, budget deficits and Greece's financial crisis.
Only 30.6 per cent of those surveyed in Norway, which has twice rejected joining the EU in 1972 and 1994 referenda, said they supported membership, down from 38.1 per cent in February, according to a poll published today.
"It is the lowest level of support we have seen since we began commissioning the poll five years ago," said Kyrre Nakkim, political editor for the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.
Opposition to joining the 27-nation EU grew to 55.8 per cent from 49.3 per cent in February, the poll said.
"People think 'Norway is doing so well, we don't need the EU'," said Mr Nakkim.
The oil-producing nation's unemployment rate was 3.2 per cent in February; the euro zone's was 9.9 per cent in January. Norway was one of the first countries to leave recession, as early as the third quarter of 2009, after two quarters of negative growth.
Reuters