Swedes set to firmly reject euro, poll says

Latest opinion poll findings show Sweden is set to firmly reject the introduction of the euro currency in a September 14th referendum…

Latest opinion poll findings show Sweden is set to firmly reject the introduction of the euro currency in a September 14th referendum.

Despite Prime Minister Goran Persson's confidence that the gap would soon close, his opponents lead grew to 14 percentage points in the latest opinion survey by Demoskop.

The poll of 1,003 Swedes, conducted between July 29th and August 5th, showed euro opponents leading supporters 47 per cent to 33. Twenty per cent were undecided on how they would vote.

This compared with 44 per cent for the "No" side and 34 per cent for the "Yes" side in the previous Demoskop poll on July 31st.

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But another poll conducted by Gallup offered a glimmer of longer term hope for pro-euro campaigners, suggesting that 47 per cent of Swedes believe their country should be in the euro within 10 years, compared with 34 per cent against.

The latest Demoskop findings, however, reversed a recent trend in opinion polls, which had suggested that the pendulum may have begun swinging tentatively toward the "Yes" side, analysts said.

"Our last poll showed an increase in the 'Yes' side and the latest Sifo poll showed that too, but now the 'No' support has rebounded, which shows that it is a very volatile situation and likely to remain so," said Demoskop chief executive Mr Markus Uvell.

The outcome of the vote will be closely watched by the two other euro outsiders in the European Union, Britain and Denmark.

Analysts say Sweden's decision could have some influence on Danish and, possibly, British public opinion towards the euro.

Swedish euro supporters say joining the common currency would be a logical step after joining the EU in 1995 following an acrimonious campaign which saw a narrow win for the "Yes" camp.