• Sweden edition

More Swedes want king to abdicate: poll

Published: 27 Nov 10 09:00 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/30464/20101127/

An increasing number of Swedes want to see King Carl XVI Gustaf abdicate in favour of Crown Princess Victoria, a new poll showed.

According to polling firm Synovate, only 51 percent of Swedes want to see the King remain on the throne, down from 64 percent in February.

Every third wants to swap the reigning monarch for his eldest child, Crown Princess Victoria, almost double the number in the previous opinion survey.

The survey does not detail what lies behind the King's declining popularity, but it comes at a time when he has been shrouded in controversy following the publication of an unofficial bibliography containing a slew of controversial revelations.

"A pure speculation is that it could depend on all the recent reports. I can't rule it out," said Synovate's opinion analyst Niklas Källebring to the Dagens Nyheter daily.

The poll also shows that support for the monarchy in general is in decline, contradicting a Demoskop poll published on November 23rd which indicated that support had in fact increased despite the scrutiny over the King's private life.

According to the Synovate poll 70 percent of Swedes back the monarchy, down from 74 percent in 2009 and 80 percent in 2005.

Synovate interviewed 1,011 people between November 16th-22nd on behalf of Dagens Nyheter.

Demoskop's poll, conducted a week earlier on behalf of the Expressen daily, showed that 69 percent of Swedes wanted to see Sweden remain a constitutional monarchy, up from 63 percent when the question was last posed - just prior to the June royal wedding.

TT/The Local/pvs (news@thelocal.se)

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10:34 November 27, 2010 by Jarvilainennen
Monarchys support moves faster than light

Place the crowne on her brow and all is allright

Not Einsteins theory of relativity

Can explain the motives of anomaly.
11:22 November 27, 2010 by Ranjit T Edward
Stat 1:

- Lke the monarchy.

- Like Gustav.

Stat 2:

- Want Gustav out

- Want Victoria in.

- Dislike the monarchy.

How quintessentially Swedish!
11:31 November 27, 2010 by JulieLou40
Didn't they have a story on some survey the other day, that said support for the monarchy was on the up? Make your mind up, Local!!
11:32 November 27, 2010 by AlinBrum
There has been the same issue in England where it has been suggested that the succession should skip a generation and Prince William take over on the death of Queen Elizabeth. I am not sure anything well considered is done as the result of a poll!
12:31 November 27, 2010 by Swedesmith
The latest poll results are in: 95% of Swedes don't trust polls.
14:16 November 27, 2010 by StockholmSam
I just took a poll and the results are in: 100% of those polled want to go out and get a cup of coffee then do a bit of Christmas shopping and follow it up with some Star Wars on Playstation II then end the day with a nice dinner at home and a movie with the sambo. Guess I better get on it then. Peace out!
16:38 November 27, 2010 by Njal
Sounds like someone has the day off.
18:09 November 27, 2010 by jazzIIIlove
@StockholmSam:

very well said.
23:51 November 27, 2010 by kingdavid
Sweden I thought you guys were more progressive, be cool man. What a shock oh my God! King Gustav lived it up when he was a young prince. Isn't that what young single princes should be doing? To me it means he is a normal human being that is a monarch. These days monarchs act like they have to live in a superhuman way or the people will be disappointed. I say bring on the humanity so your subjects can relate. It makes for a much better and more real relationship. Don't abdicate. Monarchies serve the purpose of being a welcome distraction from an every increasingly sad world, and bringing much needed charity help. When you disrespect the King you disrespect the Queen and the entire family. It is not easy living lives like theirs. Trust me when I tell you that some royals wish they weren't royals so they could live normal lives. Its not all shopping, partying, and having the best of everything.
01:10 November 28, 2010 by Tanskalainen
To gain more popularity King Carl should stick his head in a dead bear's rectum.
06:15 November 28, 2010 by mairapma
@JulieLou40 - Yes! This last week the support to the monarchy had increased, even after the release of that book about the King's private life... now The Local says it has decreased! Go figure it out!
16:07 November 28, 2010 by NovaLand
The kings power is absolute. Only in extreme occasions should a king abdicate in favor of the prince (or in this case, the princess). If GOD will, the king will live past his daugheter Victoria. Long live the king!
19:37 November 28, 2010 by Larry Thrash
The Monarchy is a stabilizing force in Swedish society. Tradition is very important to keeping one's country unified for the common good. Without tradition there is no culture.
21:13 November 28, 2010 by Rishonim
Kalla fakta just had a somewhat lame piece about Silvia's Nazi dad...
14:07 November 29, 2010 by ravenshark
I agree. Its power absolutely overwhelming being a king . Its not that easy try to go lower acts.
16:17 November 29, 2010 by alingsaskev
Dear Carl Gustav,

Sire, it appears that your popularity has taken a dip and the yokels want to replace you with your stunningly beautiful young daughter.

I know this will shock you but in these days of 24hour news and microwavable dinners the people want a bit of novelty - they are in short a fickle bunch of so-n-soes.

However, we here at Brilliantideas inc. think we have come up with a way to save your crown. We believe that if you take a year out of your royal duties to appear on "I'm a Monarch, jolly well get me out of here" and eat a few slugs whilst sitting in a leach infected pool of water, and then couple this with a 4 month stint on Strictly Come Ballroom nonsense and trip the light fandango with some besequined big breasted beauty, your approval rating should go through the roof.

We have lined up both of these gigs for your consideration however if you have a reasonable singing voice we think we might be able to slip in a quick appearance on "The European Monarchy's Got Talent" - just look what it did for that Scottish woman - even you would look better in a dress and high-heels than that your Maj! Have you ever seen Les Miserables?

Yours in humblest appreciation,

MVH
21:30 November 29, 2010 by mojofat
Must be sad to be in your twilight years and then have this final humiliation of your subjects wanting to toss you overboard for your hot daughter. It almost makes all those decades of stealing from the Swedish public not worth it...almost. What an ungrateful bunch they are!
10:35 November 30, 2010 by Argentina84
I am not against the monarchy but don't expect me to adress them for HRH!
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