Press release from Statistics Sweden

2012-06-11 9:30 AM Nr 2012:759

EU and euro preferences in May 2012:

Slightly increased support for euro

If there were to be a referendum on the euro in May 2012, 78 percent would vote no to the euro while 14 percent would vote yes. 9 percent say they do not know how they would vote. The percentage of no votes has decreased, while the percentage of yes votes has increased compared to November 2011. Both changes are statistically significant.

The percentage of yes votes has increased while the percentage of no votes has decreased among both women and men. The changes are statistically significant. In May 2012 78 percent of both women men would have voted no in a referendum. The corresponding figures for November 2011 were 80 percent for women and 81 percent for men. The percentage of yes votes among the women has increased from about 10 percent in November to 12 percent in May 2012. Among the men the percentage of yes votes has increased from 13 percent in November to 15 percent in May. 

Percentage who would vote yes and no to the euro in May 2012, broken down by sex. Percent
 
May 2012
November 2011
May 2011
 
Yes
No
Do not know
Total
Number of responses
Yes
No
Do not know
Yes
No
Do not know
Total
13.6*
77.7*
8.7
100
5 473
11.2
80.4
8.4
24.1
63.7
12.2
Women
 11.8* 77.6* 10.6 100 2 683 9.9 80.2 9.8 21.7 64.7 13.6
Men
 15.4* 77.9* 6.8 100 2 790 12.6 80.6 6.8 26.6 62.6 10.8

* The change from November is statistically significant.


 

EMU/euro preferences 1997–2012. Percent

Graph - EMU/euro preferences 1997–2012. Percent

Of those who replied in November 2011 that they would vote yes to the euro, 70 percent would still vote yes, while 22 percent now in May 2012 would vote no. The remaining 8 percent do not know how they would vote.  Among those who would have voted no in November, 90 percent would still vote no, 5 percent would vote yes and 5 percent do not know. Of those who in November did not have an opinion about the question, 21 percent now say they would vote yes and 41 percent would vote no. 39 percent still lack an opinion about the question.

 

Voting yes or no to the euro (euro preference) in May 2012, distribution of answers by euro preference in November 2011. Percent
Euro preference, November 2011
Voting yes or no to the euro (euro preference), May 2012
 
Yes
No
Do not know
Total
Number of responses
Will be voting Yes
 70.1 21.9 8.0 100 348
Will be voting No
 5.2 90.2 4.6 100 2 585
Do not know
 20.5 40.7 38.9 100 238

Unchanged support for EU membership

The proportion of those who say they are mainly for Sweden's EU membership in May 2012 was 47 percent. The proportion against EU membership was 24 percent, and the proportion who did not have an opinion was 29 percent.

There is no statistically significant difference compared to November.

 

Percentage who would vote for and against membership in May 2012, broken down by sex. Percent
 
May 2012
November 2011
May 2011
 
For
Against
Do not know
Total
Number of responses
For
Against
Do not know
For
Against
Do not know
Total
46.9
24.2
28.9
100
5 473
47.2
24.7
28.1
51.9
20.9
27.2
Women
 43.3 23.3 33.4 100 2 683 43.1 24.1 32.8 48.2 20.2 31.6
Men
 50.7 25.1 24.2 100 2 790 51.3 25.4 23.3 55.7 21.6 22.7

* The change from November is statistically significant.

 

EU preferences 1992–2012. Percent

Graph - EU preferences 1992–2012. Percent

Of those who in November 2011 answered that they were for Sweden's membership in the EU, 82 percent remain steadfast, while 4 percent are now against and 14 percent do not have an opinion about the question. Among those who were against EU membership in November, 73 percent are still against, 10 percent are for EU membership and 17 percent lack an opinion about the question. Of those who in November 2011 did not have an opinion about the question, 24 percent now say they are for EU membership and 15 percent are against. 61 percent still lack an opinion about the question.

For or against EU membership (EU preference) in May 2012, distribution of answers by EU preference in November 2011. Percent
Euro preference in November 2011
For or against EU membership (EU preference), May 2012
 
For
Against
Do not know
Total
Number of responses
For
 81.9 4.0 14.1 100 1 542
Against
 9.9 72.9 17.1 100 810
Do not know
 23.7 15.1 61.2 100 819

Definitions and explanations

The Party Preference Survey in May 2012 was conducted by telephone interviews of a national random probability sample consisting of 9 039 persons entitled to vote in the parliamentary election, without an upper age limit. Of these persons, 17.5 percent could not be reached, 4.0 percent were too ill to be interviewed and 18.0 percent did not want to be interviewed. The total non-response rate was 39.5 percent. A total of 5 473 interviews were conducted. In addition, some persons did not want to answer certain questions. The interviews were conducted by telephone during the period 2–27 May. The majority of the interviews were conducted during the first half of the measuring period. 83 percent of the interviews had been conducted up to and including 16 May.

The results are presented in intervals or point estimations ± margins of error. The interval that is created of the percent estimation ± margin of error here is a 95 percent confidence interval, which is an interval with a 95 percent probability including the actual value of the population, if no systematic errors occur.

More information

This report is published in more detail in tables now available on Statistics Sweden's website.

Next publishing will be

The Political Party Preference Survey for November 2012 will be published on 5 December 2012 at 09:30

EU and euro preferences in November 2012 will be published on 12 December 2012 at 09:30

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Statistical agency and producer

Statistics Sweden, Democracy Statistics
Box 24 300
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Fax +46 8 506 947 72


Enquiries

Johan Eklund
Phone +46 8-506 945 38
My Raquette
Phone +46 8-506 940 83
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