Swedes Backing -Left Parties
November 24, 2009
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many people in Sweden are throwing their support behind a coalition of centre-left parties, according to a poll by Sifo published in Svenska Dagbladet. 48.9 per cent of respondents would vote for the alliance encompassing the Workers’ Party - Social-Democrats (S), the Environmental Party - The Greens (MP), and the Left Party (Vp) in the next legislative election, essentially unchanged since October.
The governing alliance—featuring the Moderate Rally Party (M), the People’s Party Liberals (FpL), the Centre Party (C) and the Christian-Democrats (KD)—is a close second with 44 per cent. The far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) garner the support of 5.8 per cent of decided voters—above the threshold to earn seats in the legislature.
Swedish voters renewed the Diet in September 2006. The centre-right alliance secured 178 seats, ending the ten-year tenure of Social-Democrat prime minister Goran Persson. Moderate leader Fredrik Reinfeldt became prime minister in October 2006. In January 2007, former sustainable development minister Mona Sahlin took over as the new leader of the Social-Democrats.
Each European Union (EU) member state presides over the Council of the EU for a period of six months, in accordance with a pre-established rotation. In July, Sweden took over these responsibilities from the Czech Republic.
On Nov. 20, Reinfeldt praised the appointment of Belgian prime minister Herman van Rompuy as the new president of the EU and Catherine Ashton as the EU’s high representative for foreign and security policy, declaring, "We were looking for individuals who could create continuity, who could bring us together, be Europe’s voice, face and presence in the world. I think we have achieved this."
The next general election in Sweden is scheduled for Sept. 19, 2010.
Polling Data
What party would you support if a general election were held today?
Nov. 2009
Oct. 2009
Aug. 2009
Opposition Parties (Centre-Left)
48.9%
49.2%
48.1%
Workers’ Party - Social-Democrats (S)
33.3%
35.7%
32.8%
Environmental Party - The Greens (MP)
9.7%
7.6%
9.2%
Left Party (Vp)
5.9%
5.9%
6.1%
Governing Alliance (Centre-Right)
44.0%
44.4%
45.2%
Moderate Rally Party (M)
28.5%
29.2%
27.6%
People’s Party Liberals (FpL)
7.0%
6.3%
6.8%
Centre Party (C)
4.5%
4.6%
6.1%
Christian-Democrats (KD)
4.0%
4.3%
4.7%
Sweden Democrats (SD)
5.8%
4.7%
4.2%
Source: Sifo / Svenska Dagbladet Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,894 Swede adults, conducted from Nov. 1 to Nov. 11, 2009. No margin of error was provided.