On September 15, King Carl XVI Gustaf has sat on the throne for 50 years. The majority of Swedes think that the king has handled his office well, but that it is now time to hand over to Crown Princess Victoria. This is the opinion of a majority of those who answered a survey which Today’s news let Ipsos implement.
– The king’s time on the throne is running out, if you listen to the voters. There is a clear shift in public opinion, says Nicklas Källebring, opinion analyst at Ipsos to the newspaper.
This is said to be the first time a majority wants to see Victoria, 46, on the throne.
Strong support for the monarchy
A total of 43 percent believe the king should step down, compared to 38 percent who want him to stay. At the same time, 64 percent believe that the king did a good job during his time on the throne – while only 25 percent think the opposite.
Monarchy as a form of government also has strong support, according to the survey. 62 percent believe it should be kept, while 25 percent believe it should be abolished. The most common argument for abolishing the monarchy is that it costs too much, according to the newspaper.
– Over time, it is a clear development that fewer and fewer are in favor of preserving the monarchy, says Nicklas Källebring to DN.
The survey is based on 1,291 interviews, conducted in August.