Sweden: Eurosceptics in Sweden's ruling Social Democrat party launched a petition yesterday for a referendum on the EU constitution, risking a severe blow to the prime minister ahead of next year's elections.
Prime minister Goran Persson, whose centre-left government is already lagging in opinion polls, said last week it would be wrong to have a referendum on "such marginal changes" to the European Union as those contained in its new constitution.
But a eurosceptic faction of the ruling Swedish party, led by member of parliament Soren Wibe, hopes to collect the almost 7,000 signatures needed to force a vote among party members on whether a referendum should be called.
"This is historic since members themselves say they want an internal party vote," Mr Wibe told a news conference.
Scepticism about the EU runs high in Sweden, and the prime minister can ill afford to take a risk on the constitution.
Mr Persson acknowledged last week that a petition with enough signatures could force the party to call a vote in parliament on a referendum. - (Reuters)