The 1.4 Percent Party's New Demand: Euro Referendum for SD in Government

According to media reports, the Liberals may be on the verge of abandoning their opposition to governing together with the Sweden Democrats after the next election. However, this would come with certain conditions. The party, which in recent times has recorded figures as low as 1.4 percent in opinion polls, is said to be demanding a referendum on adopting the euro in Sweden.

For quite some time, the Liberals have hovered around—or even below—two percent in the opinion polls. At the end of January, the party received 1.4 percent in an Indikator Opinion poll commissioned by Sveriges Radio Ekot.

Despite these extremely weak numbers, far below the parliamentary threshold ahead of the September election, the party still appears prepared to put pressure on its Tidö cooperation partners.

According to information given to the magazine Kvartal, the Liberals are planning to soon present a new announcement regarding their stance toward the Sweden Democrats. The reports indicate that the party may open up to the idea of the Sweden Democrats joining a future government—something the Sweden Democrats, as the largest party in the Tidö agreement, have demanded ahead of the next parliamentary term.

Until now, the Liberals have opposed such an arrangement, but new information suggests the party may be on course to alter its position. However, such an announcement would not come without counter-demands.

According to the newspaper ETC, the Liberals want the Sweden Democrats to abandon their opposition to the euro if such a deal is made. As part of the arrangement, the party will demand that a referendum be held on adopting the euro currency in Sweden.

There is also hope within the Liberals that such an announcement could attract so-called support votes from those wishing for the party to remain in parliament after the next election.