Swedish Voters Reject Euro

[Loki]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3108616.stm



Sweden turns back on euro


The effects of Sweden's no vote will be felt throughout Europe
Sweden has voted overwhelmingly to reject the euro in a referendum overshadowed by the killing of Foreign Minister Anna Lindh.
The final result shows 56.1% voting against the euro, with only 41.8% in favour, on a high turnout of 81.2%.


The Swedish Prime Minister, Goran Persson, said the result was a clear victory for opponents of Swedish Euro-membership.

A BBC correspondent in Stockholm says the victory will be welcomed by opponents of the euro in Britain and Denmark, the other two EU countries outside the eurozone.

FINAL RESULT
Against euro: 56.1%
In favour: 41.8%
Undecided ballots: 1.9%
Turnout: 81.2%


Reluctant Europeans

The outcome confounded some predictions that the Yes campaign would benefit from sympathy votes following Lindh's murder last week.

Lindh was the main face of the Yes campaign, and most opinion polls after her stabbing in a Stockholm department store showed support for the euro rising.

Swedish voters were the first to vote on adopting the euro since the single currency went into circulation in 2002 in 12 of 15 EU countries.

'Worse than expected'

European Commission President Romano Prodi said it would mean Sweden losing influence in EU decision-making.


Outside a polling station: Swedes tell how they voted - and why

"I admit that the result is worse than I expected," he told Swedish television.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who aims to lead his country into the eurozone, said the Swedish result had "no bearing on our attitude towards the single currency".

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder deplored Sweden's no, but said "the door was not closed and that the possibility of a later Swedish euro entry remained".

In Britain, opponents of joining the single currency said Swedish voters had recognised serious economic problems inside the eurozone and feared losing control of their economy.

EURO MEMBERS
Austria
Belgium
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
The Netherlands
Portugal
Spain

A member of the Britain's opposition Conservatives, Michael Ancram, said the Swedish decision reinforced his party's view that joining the euro is not in Britain's economic or political interest.

The Swedish outcome "gives the lie to those who've been saying for years, 'oh, joining the euro is inevitable, and only the British are creating any problems about it'."

Some Swedish business leaders say they will demand compensation from the government for the income lost as a result of staying outside of the eurozone.

Mr Persson has said another euro referendum is now not likely to be held for another 10 years.

[Gladstone]

Good for the Swedes!

[cosmocreator]

I think it a good thing. A country that doesn't control it's currency has no control over its own economic affairs.

[Nordgau]

Sehr gut! The Swedish people did a good decision. I applaud to everything that is a punch into the stomach of this "European Union". The system of Brussels is not the true Europe.

[Vojvoda]

Sehr gut! The Swedish people did a good decision. I applaud to everything that is a punch into the stomach of this "European Union". The system of Brussels is not the true Europe.

I agree,I hope most of us here do as well!

[Phlegethon]

Sehr gut! The Swedish people did a good decision. I applaud to everything that is a punch into the stomach of this "European Union". The system of Brussels is not the true Europe.

Nevertheless Sweden is and will remain a part of the system - and voting against the Euro was a decision that most probably won't pay for Sweden in the long run. It would have made a difference if Sweden was not an EU member state but now you have the problematic situation that they are a part of the EU economic zone without participating in the official EU economy. As hard times are ahead for the Swedish economy they may face excessive losses through fluctuations of their own national currency. The same thing is true to a lesser degree for Denmark.

[Loki]

Nevertheless Sweden is and will remain a part of the system - and voting against the Euro was a decision that most probably won't pay for Sweden in the long run. It would have made a difference if Sweden was not an EU member state but now you have the problematic situation that they are a part of the EU economic zone without participating in the official EU economy. As hard times are ahead for the Swedish economy they may face excessive losses through fluctuations of their own national currency. The same thing is true to a lesser degree for Denmark.

Well that is maybe a good thing. It will make Sweden less attractive to foreigners.

[goidelicwarrior]

Nevertheless Sweden is and will remain a part of the system - and voting against the Euro was a decision that most probably won't pay for Sweden in the long run. It would have made a difference if Sweden was not an EU member state but now you have the problematic situation that they are a part of the EU economic zone without participating in the official EU economy. As hard times are ahead for the Swedish economy they may face excessive losses through fluctuations of their own national currency. The same thing is true to a lesser degree for Denmark.

Your posts are always very thought through.. u are right.. today we are all tied together, this will only serve the purpose of EMU members, Sweden will have no saying at ALL... but are obliged to follow 95% of Euro policy... this have nothing to do with race or preservation.. its a strictly economical matter.. i dont think the Euro makes Swedish women have more inter racial affairs or ??

[Loki]

Your posts are always very thought through.. u are right.. today we are all tied together, this will only serve the purpose of EMU members, Sweden will have no saying at ALL... but are obliged to follow 95% of Euro policy... this have nothing to do with race or preservation.. its a strictly economical matter..

Sweden doesn't need to have any say in the EU. If you know anything about European demographics and statistics, you will know that Sweden has always been prosperous. It does not need the EU, since it has trade agreements with Norway, Denmark and Finland. Norway doesn't even belong to the EU, and is even more prosperous than Sweden. Scandinavia does not need to be dragged down by the poorer EU countries.

i dont think the Euro makes Swedish women have more inter racial affairs or ??

Don't quote me out of context please.

[Gladstone]

Then perhaps Sweden ought to pull out altogether.

America's independent states (which at that time were very much like separate countries) entered into union after our Revolution, some only with great coaxing as they greatly valued (and rightly so) their hard won freedoms. It was widely understood they could leave the union freely and at will, as they had entered it.

When about half those states attempted to leave "the union" in 1860 they almost achieved their own "Velvet Revolution" not a shot being fired thruout the process as state after state took over in entirety their own affairs. Then newly elected President Lincoln ordered Federal bases (ie Fort Sumter in SC) to stop peacebly handing over the forts (as had been going on in the other states) and to resist, which they did.

In the next four years one half million died in that entirely needless, stupid war.

Europe, I can only suggest be very weary of this thing, the EU. It may well be something that once entered into is something that cannot be gotten out of in practice. Sure, they are promising you all sorts of things to get you in now; our once independent, separate, and free American states heard the very same promises made to us, long, long ago, and our people believed them. We then in time and to our terrible misfortune found out otherwise.

Until independent states (including US) can get their own affairs in order, which is clearly not the case in today's world, the "global unity" project which the EU effort is merely a part of should not even be considered and even then with great caution. It is madness in that sense.

Gladstone