Less than half of Swedes now support monarchy: Poll

Stockholm (Sweden), June 19(ANI): Ahead of Sweden's future queen, Crown Princess Victoria's, marriage to her former personal trainer, a new poll has found that less than half of the country's population supports monarchy.

According to the FSI poll, the number of Swedes who consider the monarchy a good thing has dropped from 70 percent in 1996 to 46 percent.

At the same time, the number of Swedes saying they think the monarchy is a bad thing has soared from just 10 percent 15 years ago to 25 percent today.

The poll also indicated that the royal family itself has seen its support dwindle from 69 percent in 1996 to just 40 percent, while the number of Swedes disliking the royals shot up from 13 percent to 28 percent.

"It is probable that the increased scandal coverage in magazines and tabloids has led to the increase in negative attitudes," The Telegraph quoted Joachim Timander, FSI opinion analyst, as saying.

"That would explain why support for the royal family, that is mainly to say the family members themselves, is declining faster than support for the monarchy as an institution," he added.

Crown Princess Victoria will marry Daniel Westling on Saturday in one of the largest public celebrations ever organised in Sweden.

Around 6,000 troops and 2,000 police will patrol the streets and secure the processional route through Stockholm city centre following the ceremony as tens of thousands of Swedes and foreigners look on. (ANI)