Yesterday an opinion poll about support for the Swedish monarchy was presented at a seminar hosted by the SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg.
The poll showed that the percentage which is completely in favour of the monarchy has fallen from 52 % in 1995 to 42 % today. If one counts in those who are positive, but less certain, the monarchy enjoys the support of 63 % (down from 67 % in 1995).
The number of people who are absolutely in favour of a republic has nearly doubled since 1995 - up from 5 to 9 %. If less certain republicans are included, 17 % of the populace count as republicans, compared to 11 % fourteen years ago.
Swedish Television (SVT) has a short article on the poll:
http://svt.se/2.22620/1.1528225/motstandarna_till_monarkin_blir_fler?lid=puff_1528234&lpos=rubrik
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Any comments as to why? Was it the frivolous engagement of crown princess Victoria? The charming, yet interesting king? The general surge towards republicanism?
ReplyDeleteI think that is a bit difficult to answer without having seen the entire poll - there may have been further questions (not reported by SVT's rather short article) about those issues you mention.
ReplyDeleteIt does however seem that the Crown Princess's engagement has been fairly well received in Sweden and the King has become more popular with time. But it has happened before that the royal family's popularity has been bigger than the support for the monarchy.
A poll in Aftonbladet on 18 January 1966 showed what 59.8 % out of 10,000 respondees were in favour of a republic. This was at a time when King Gustaf VI Adolf, the present King's grandfather, was immensly popular - and respected also by republicans.
The old King's great popularity was most likely the reason why the monarchy was not abolished back then, but the new constitution which came into force in 1975 deprived the monarch of his constitutional duties and reduced him to a symbol. So one could say that Sweden today in reality IS a republic, but a republic with a king as head of state.