STOCKHOLM – Forty-two percent of Swedish
voters polled by Gallup over the weekend believe that a new party is
needed to oppose the wholesale transfer of political power from individual
states to the European Union. Twenty-seven percent were undecided.
The poll shows strong interest in the plan to build
a new EU
skeptics party, the brain-child of Swedish economist Nils Lundgren.
Support for a new party is somewhat stronger among men and the poll
also shows increasing skepticism of the EU among older voters.
One quarter of voters currently say they would consider
voting for a party of EU skeptics in the European parliamentary election
in June, according to the poll that was conducted for TV4
News and Expressen. Thirty-two percent were undecided
Forty-five percent say that their view of the EU has
worsened since rejecting membership in the European Monetary Union;
the EMU in a referendum last year. Thirty percent were undecided and
eleven percent gave no answer to this last question.
Since announcing plans to build a new party, Mr. Lundgren
has had difficulty recruiting seasoned politicians from amongst those
who led opposition to membership in the EMU. Joining the new party would
mean leaving parties that are well established.
Established politicians have announced plans to effect
their own parties' platforms. A key question is whether future proposals
for an EU constitution will be submitted to the people in a referendum
rather than leaving such a momentous decision to politicians.