Swedish euro support rises in latest poll

Swedish support for adopting the euro has rebounded, but the "Yes" side remains behind the "No" camp, the latest Gallup poll …

Swedish support for adopting the euro has rebounded, but the "Yes" side remains behind the "No" camp, the latest Gallup poll showed today.

The survey of 1,019 Swedes showed euro support rising to 36 per cent from 32 per cent in the previous Gallup poll last week; eurosceptics lost ground to 44 per cent from 48 per cent. The number of undecided remained flat at 20 per cent.

Although a member of the European Union, Sweden, like Britain and Denmark, did not join the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) with other EU members in 1999. It will hold a referendum on joining on September 14th.

The "No" side has been leading in every opinion poll since April because many Swedes are concerned that adopting the euro would erode the country's generous welfare policies.

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But the "Yes" side, with Prime Minister Goran Persson at the forefront, has been campaigning hard since the beginning of August to convince Swedes the euro means more trade and growth, more jobs and hence more tax revenue to pay for the welfare state.