May 16, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Sweden’s opposition, centre-left parties are more popular than the governing centre-right coalition, according to a poll by Demoskop published in Expressen. 56.8 per cent of respondents would support the Workers’ Party - Social-Democrats (S), the Left Party (Vp) or the Environmental Party - The Greens (MP) in the next general election.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Sweden’s opposition, centre-left parties are more popular than the governing centre-right coalition, according to a poll by Demoskop published in Expressen. 56.8 per cent of respondents would support the Workers’ Party - Social-Democrats (S), the Left Party (Vp) or the Environmental Party - The Greens (MP) in the next general election.

The governing centre-right alliance of the Moderate Rally Party (M), the People’s Party Liberals (FpL), the Centre Party (C), and the Christian-Democrats (KD) is behind with 38 per cent. The far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) garner the support of 4.2 per cent of respondents.

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.

In November 2007, Reindfeldt aid Ulrika Schenstroem resigned after it was revealed that she consumed a large quantity of alcohol alongside television reporter Anders Pihlblad on an evening when she was "on call" as part of the Swedish government’s crisis management team.

Last month, Schenstroem discussed the situation, saying, "I had been working too much. Unfortunately it’s in such situations that lapses of judgment arise. (...) I feel I am the victim of a media campaign. It also feels like I’ve grown so much older."

Polling Data

What party would you support in the next general election?

Governing Coalition (Centre-Left)	56.8%
Workers’ Party - Social-Democrats (S)	44.1%
Environmental Party - The Greens (MP)	6.8%
Left Party (Vp)	5.9%
Opposition Alliance (Centre-Right)	38.0%
Moderate Rally Party (M)	21.9%
People’s Party Liberals (FpL)	6.3%
Centre Party (C)	6.0%
Christian-Democrats (KD)	3.8%
Sweden Democrats (SD)	4.2%

Source: Demoskop / Expressen
Methodology: Interviews with 1,008 Swede voters, conducted from Apr. 29 to May 6, 2008. No margin of error was provided.