Popularity of the Monarchy in Sweden

[LadyFinn]

Patrik Kronqvist asks at his column in Expressen:

Why are the critics of the royal family so lazy?
Not even the Republican Association wants to put its foot down in the question of how a Swedish republic should be designed - even if in 2012 the matter was investigated. Instead, citizens, politicians and parties are urged to discuss this.
This lack of concretion makes the Republican argument appear contradictory. On the one hand, the monarchy is described as "undemocratic", "outdated" and "a remnant of the time when Sweden was a dictatorship". On the other hand, it is hardly possible to find a single republican who ids argue for which system should come instead.
Varför är kungahusets kritiker så lata_
Translation

 

[Mbruno]

5. The Swedish Democrats have proposed some interesting reforms to the fluff (the order system for instance) surrounding the Royal family but while they generally support the monarchy their political program is often in total opposition to what the Royal family stand for.

Any news on the proposed order system reform? When is a final decision going to be made?


Personally I am not a fan of the "minimalist monarchy" (as a constitutional model, I mean), but I think the King and the Crown Princess were capable of crafting a meaningful role for themselves and the Royal House under the constitutional constraints that apply to them and that explains the continuing support for the monarchy.


I agree with Expressen that Sweden would lose in terms of visibility overseas if the monarchy were replaced by a republic. As a matter of fact, I think that is true for all surviving monarchies in Europe, some more than others.

 

[JR76]

Any news on the proposed order system reform? When is a final decision going to be made?


Personally I am not a fan of the "minimalist monarchy" (as a constitutional model, I mean), but I think the King and the Crown Princess were capable of crafting a meaningful role for themselves and the Royal House under the constitutional constraints that apply to them and that explains the continuing support for the monarchy.


I agree with Expressen that Sweden would lose in terms of visibility overseas if the monarchy were replaced by a republic. As a matter of fact, I think that is true for all surviving monarchies in Europe, some more than others.

Let me quote from the committee directive to prolong the inquiry from a government meeting on 26 November, 2020.

"On 7 November 2019, the Government decided on a committee directive for a parliamentary committee with the task of reviewing the public reward system, the general flag days and considering the design of the grant to the court (Directive 2019: 76). The committee has been named the Merits Inquiry. The assignment was to be finalized no later than June 15, 2021.
The investigation period is extended. The assignment must instead be reported no later than 15 September 2021."

 

[LadyFinn]

When Johan T Lindwall started as the editor-in-chief of Svensk Damtidning five years ago, he made the decision that the magazine makes every year a survey about the royal family with Kantar Sifo. This year Svensk Damtidning has made the largest survey so far.

Johan T Lindwall writes about the first results at his column:
Johan T Lindwall about the horror message to Madeleine: "Now the court must act"
Svensk Damtidning asked the Swedish people's opinions about the royal family and the information about Madeleine is shocking. "My advice is to call in a crisis team", writes Lindwall.
In this Kantar Sifo survey, there is no doubt: Victoria is by far the most popular member of the royal family.
There are questions about everything from the classic question of when Victoria will take over the throne to who do you have the most confidence in in the royal family? Not difficult to guess? No, exactly: Victoria! Yes, Lindwall thought that Victoria would be at the top in confidence, but he had never even dared to imagine the numbers she does it with. As many as 54 % answered Victoria. The king comes closest with 10 %. 44 % advantage for Victoria.
Least trust, Madeleine. She receives 0 % confidence from the people.
In which member of the royal family you have the greatest confidence?
Crown princess Victoria 54 %
King Carl Gustaf 10 %
Prince Daniel 3 %
Queen Silvia 2 %
Prince Carl Philip 2 %
Princess Sofia 1 %
Chris O'Neill 1 %
Princess Madeleine 0 %
Uncertain/do not know 26 %
Johan T Lindwall om skräckbeskedet till Madeleine –*sätt in en kristeam _*Svensk Dam
Translation

The results of the whole survey are at Svensk Damtidning's this week's issue.
Cover
https://media.pressbyran.se/article/image/zoom/ts_0478_202123.jpg

Svensk Damtidning's editor-in-chief Johan T Lindwall was interviewed about the survey at SVT's Morgonstudion. At this article we see a short clip of the interview, the whole Morgonstudion can be seen only in Sweden.
1,000 people between 18 and 70 participated in the survey conducted by Kantar Sifo.
Prinsessan Madeleine hamnar sist i förtroendeundersökning _ SVT Nyheter
Translation

 

[Marengo]

If I understand the poll correctly it does not mean that the public does not trust princess Madeleine or Queen Silvia. It just means that the trust other members of the family more. Whatever is meant with trust of course.

The poll itself seems rather strange TBH, but I am sure with such a leading question the editor will have gotten the answer he wanted & could use for an article.

 

[JR76]

Reporter Jenny Alexandersson posted a comment on Facebook about the Svensk Damtidning survey:
"This morning I was interviewed by Svenska Dagbladet about a Sifo survey conducted by Svensk Damtidning. They feel the pulse of the royal family and the Swedish people once a year and it is always an exciting read. Svensk Damtidning's figures show that Princess Madeleine has a 0% rate of trust with the Swedish people. I'm not particularly surprised. Aftonbladet conducted a similar survey in April, where Madeleine had a 1% rate of trust with the people. There are three reasons for the low number.
[emoji3581]It is partly about personality and interest in official life.
[emoji3581] Visibility in an official context.
[emoji3581] The King's decision to exclude Princess Madeleine's and Prince Carl Philips' children from the royal family also has an affect.
The king made the decision to remove some of his grandchildren from the royal house in 2019. He wanted to narrow down the official part of the family and clarify how many and whom would be allowed to represent Sweden and the royal house and get public funding in the future. This meant that Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia and Princess Madeleine had to take a step back from public assignments. Madeleine's visibility in royal contexts decreased drastically. Trust is hard currency for royalty. That's how it is and that's important. Without trust, they lose relevance and without relevance, there is no support from the people. BUT - I do not see it as as alarming as the Svensk Damtidning does. Since Madeleine does not represent as much anymore and is not interested in the spotlight, she is not as dependent on people's trust in her. This is the beginning of a more private life for the princess. Of course, we will see the princess in semi-official contexts in the future. But she lives abroad and also wants to work behind the scenes with her heart issues and with Childhood. It will be exciting to see what happens this year when the pandemic restrictions are removed and the royal family starts working more normally again. I do not think we will see the princess in more official situations than those necessary."

https://www.facebook.com/115841845195021/posts/3997555290356971

I have three comments on Jenny's post.
1. Sifo is Sweden's largest and most reliable market research company.
2. Jenny Alexandersson works for the newspaper Aftonbladet and is a reliable and knowledgeable reporter. She is, in my opinion, Sweden's foremost royal reporter.
3. I wonder how much we would have been seeing Princess Madeleine in Sweden during the last 1,5 years had not the pandemic happened. I think it has given her a perfect opportunity to take a few steps back and then to never step forward again.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Reporter Jenny Alexandersson posted a comment on Facebook about the Svensk Damtidning survey:
"This morning I was interviewed by Svenska Dagbladet about a Sifo survey conducted by Svensk Damtidning. They feel the pulse of the royal family and the Swedish people once a year and it is always an exciting read. Svensk Damtidning's figures show that Princess Madeleine has a 0% rate of trust with the Swedish people. I'm not particularly surprised. Aftonbladet conducted a similar survey in April, where Madeleine had a 1% rate of trust with the people. There are three reasons for the low number.
[emoji3581]It is partly about personality and interest in official life.
[emoji3581] Visibility in an official context.
[emoji3581] The King's decision to exclude Princess Madeleine's and Prince Carl Philips' children from the royal family also has an affect.


[...]

https://www.facebook.com/115841845195021/posts/3997555290356971

I have three comments on Jenny's post.
1. Sifo is Sweden's largest and most reliable market research company.
2. Jenny Alexandersson works for the newspaper Aftonbladet and is a reliable and knowledgeable reporter. She is, in my opinion, Sweden's foremost royal reporter.
[...]

Even if Ms. Alexandersson is the foremost royal reporter in the country, "Svensk Damtidning's figures show that Princess Madeleine has a 0% rate of trust with the Swedish people" is an inaccurate and misleading way to describe a poll which asked "In which member of the royal family you have the greatest confidence?"

As Marengo pointed out, the fact that 0% of Swedes consider Princess Madeleine the most trustworthy member of her immediate family does not imply that 0% of Swedes have any trust in her at all.

I do not know what the statistical margin of error may be, but it is worth noting that apart from the Crown Princess and King, no other royal received more than 3% of the votes.

 

[Marengo]

I do not know what the statistical margin of error may be, but it is worth noting that apart from the Crown Princess and King, no other royal received more than 3% of the votes.

Indeed. If we would use the -IMO illogical- logic of this royalty reporter only 2% of the Swedes trust Queen Silvia. That would certainly be more newsworthy and shocking than the Madeleine angle. Queen Silvia has been Sweden's queen for 45 years. As first lady of the land she has a busy agenda and is involved in a large amount of charitable projects and good causes. And only 2% seem to 'trust' her?

Although there may be nothing wrong with the poll and the polling agency, the interpertation of the result by royalty reporters who have a newspaper/clicks to sell seems sensationalistic and misleading.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Is it just me or are the figures misleading and agenda driven towards the Crown Princess being the only one popular?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It is the same circus as last year in the Netherlands, "the Dutch have less trust in the King and Queen" (because of the unlucky trip to their villa in Greece).

But what is "trust in the King" or "trust in Queen Silvia" and what means "less trust in the King"? And how to substantiate having more or less "trust" in an a-political and largely ceremonial figure?

It is indeed just tweaking an enquête to get a frame, a narrative, which becomes trendy on Twitter and gets an own life (Uh oh, the monarchy is in serious danger!). Pfff.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

I think "which member of the royal family do you have the greatest confidence in" or "which member of the royal family is your favorite" is a legitimate and informative question on which to poll the public, and as JR76 said, Sifo is a reputable polling agency. What is disappointing is the misrepresentation of the poll, in certain reports, as something it is not.

 

[JR76]

Even if Ms. Alexandersson is the foremost royal reporter in the country, "Svensk Damtidning's figures show that Princess Madeleine has a 0% rate of trust with the Swedish people" is an inaccurate and misleading way to describe a poll which asked "In which member of the royal family you have the greatest confidence?"

As Marengo pointed out, the fact that 0% of Swedes consider Princess Madeleine the most trustworthy member of her immediate family does not imply that 0% of Swedes have any trust in her at all.

I do not know what the statistical margin of error may be, but it is worth noting that apart from the Crown Princess and King, no other royal received more than 3% of the votes.

I'm more to blame for a bad translation than Jenny Alexandersson is for deliberately misleading her readers. In a Swedish language context it's quite clear, at least to me, that she refers correctly to the survey question. Though you're right in that she could have been even clearer.

Instinctively (I'm to lazy to look for older surveys) I doubt that Princess Madeleine has ever had that much higher figures than this. I'm more surprised by the low figures for the Queen, but then again her job is to support her husband not outshine him.

 

[LadyFinn]

Besides this confidence-question, at the survey Kantar Sifo made for Svensk Damtidning was asked:
When should the crown princess take over the throne?
Within a year 17 %
Within five to ten years 31 %
When the king dies 29 %
Uncertain/do not know 23 %

Did the king make the right decision when he removed the HRH titles from Carl Philip's and Madeleine's children?
Yes 54 %
No 7 %
Uncertain/do not know 40 %

Did Chris O'Neill do the right thing by refusing a princely title?
Yes 59 %
No 4 %
Uncertain/do not know 37 %

Whom of the royal family would you like to have as a neighbor?
Crown princess Victoria 25 %
King Carl Gustaf 11 %
Prince Daniel 6 %
Prince Carl Philip 5 %
Princess Madeleine 4 %
Princess Sofia 4 %
Princess Estelle 3 %
Queen Silvia 1 %
Chris O'Neill 1 %
Princess Christina 1 %
Uncertain/do not know 37 %

Which of the family's female members dresses best?
Crown princess Victoria 25 %
Princess Madeleine 12 %
Princess Sofia 6 %
Queen Silvia 4 %
Uncertain/do not know 51 %

Which of the family's male members dresses best?
Prince Carl Philip 25 %
Prince Daniel 13 %
King Carl Gustaf 7 %
Chris O'Neill 1 %
Uncertain/do not know 53 %

Was it right for Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine to buy a mixed breed dog?
Yes 52 %
No 6 %
Uncertain/do not know 42 %

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[Somebody]

That last questions seems to come completely out of the blue. Why is this even asked? Is it a controversial issue?

 

[JR76]

That last questions seems to come completely out of the blue. Why is this even asked? Is it a controversial issue?

The Swedish Kennel Club had a fit last year when Victoria and Daniel bought a mixed breed dog. There was even calls for the King to step down as patron. Svensk Damtidning, true to form, wants to milk what they called a scandal but most people don't care at all about a little more

 

[Muhler]

The Swedish Kennel Club had a fit last year when Victoria and Daniel bought a mixed breed dog. There was even calls for the King to step down as patron. Svensk Damtidning, true to form, wants to milk what they called a scandal but most people don't care at all about a little more

You gotta be kidding?

I thought dog breeders were supposed to be dog-lovers first and foremost - regardless of the dog's parents...
Talk about stepping in it!

 

[JR76]

You gotta be kidding?

I thought dog breeders were supposed to be dog-lovers first and foremost - regardless of the dog's parents...
Talk about stepping in it! [emoji38]

Victoria and Daniel were called irresponsible because they bought something else than an approved breed and the Kennel Association feared that by doing so they encouraged others to do the same. Naturally it's all about money. Un-approved breeds = less money for the kennels that are members of the association.

 

[Denville]

So who is going to buy/take in dogs of mixed breed.....

 

[An Ard Ri]

The question about the dog was so silly & hard to take anything else in the poll as credible after that.

 

[JR76]

So who is going to buy/take in dogs of mixed breed.....

There isn't supposed to be any mixed breed dogs.

 

[Denville]

There isn't supposed to be any mixed breed dogs.

really? Serously? They think they can keep dogs "pure"?

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Did the king make the right decision when he removed the HRH titles from Carl Philip's and Madeleine's children?
Yes 54 %
No 7 %
Uncertain/do not know 40 %

Did Chris O'Neill do the right thing by refusing a princely title?
Yes 59 %
No 4 %
Uncertain/do not know 37 %

[...]

Was it right for Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine to buy a mixed breed dog?
Yes 52 %
No 6 %
Uncertain/do not know 42 %

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It is interesting to see that the responses to each of these "was it right" questions included a high number of "uncertain"s compared to a very small number of "no"s. I wonder if there is some hesitancy on the part of members of the public to explicitly criticize the royal family, causing those who are uncomfortable with the decisions to say "uncertain" rather than "no"?

 

[Prinsara]

There isn't supposed to be any mixed breed dogs.

Would there have been the same fit thrown if they had adopted a mixed breed dog from a shelter, instead of purchasing one from a breeder?

Aren't poodle-mixes like Rio's supposed to be better where allergies are concerned? I wouldn't be surprised if it was a health issue, like with the Obamas.

I think they have a problem because Rio is clearly too adorable for the haters.

 

[JR76]

It is interesting to see that the responses to each of these "was it right" questions included a high number of "uncertain"s compared to a very small number of "no"s. I wonder if there is some hesitancy on the part of members of the public to explicitly criticize the royal family, causing those who are uncomfortable with the decisions to say "uncertain" rather than "no"?

I think it's more a case of uncertain = I haven't thought about it, I don't care.

 

[LadyFinn]

Confidence is hard currency for royalty. That's how it is and that's important. Without confidence, they lose relevance and without relevance, there is also no support from the people, says Jenny Alexandersson.
Aftonbladet

 

[LadyFinn]

Debate article in Barometern newspaper:
A monarchy in high form
Happy birthday Crown Princess! And congratulations to the Kingdom of Sweden, which during all crises can gather around the permanence that the royal family represents.
In crises, it becomes clear how much the monarchy means. Recurring in the pandemic, the royal family has gathered the Swedish people to mourn the victims together, be patient with the restrictions and feel hope for the country's future. Even when the political waves are high, they are a stabilizing force.
En monarki i högform
Translation

 

[LadyFinn]

Confidence in the royal family is record high: Unifying force in crises
The royal family is riding in a wave of success. A new survey from Aftonbladet/Demoskop shows that 48 % of Swedes has quite or very much confidence in the royal family. This is the best result since 2017, when the survey started.
The people who want the king to remain on the throne is also record high. Almost half want him to remain king, instead of handing over the post of head of state to Victoria.
- Despite the fact that the king is getting older, more and more people want him to stay. That is a good grade for him, says Karin Nelsson, CEO of Demoskop.
"A shining star"
The royal family's popularity figures have been rising steadily since the surveys began. Younger people are more positive than older people. One explanation may be the many new younger family members and a greater presence on social media platforms, Nelsson believes.
Victoria is the most popular. Nearly half of the survey, 48 %, like the Crown Princess best. In second place comes the king.
- Victoria is perceived as a shining star in the royal family. She and Daniel are perceived as modern and accessible, says Nelsson.
Aftonbladet's court expert Jenny Alexandersson is not surprised by the result. She believes that the crises of recent years play a role in the record numbers. The Royal House and the King is a unifying, apolitical force for many Swedes.
- That the king has been so visible and always tried to be a role model during the pandemic and the Ukrainian war has increased people's confidence in him. It is in situations like this that he is at his best, I think.
The Crown Princess couple has had a tough period of divorce rumors in recent months and the court finally made a unique decision to go out with a denial.
This has strengthened them, Jenny Alexandersson believes.
- They risked ending up in a media storm, but they coped with the pressure and appeared clear and human and received an incredible amount of empathy and love. Victoria has always been popular, but after this event she is, if possible, even more popular.
About every fourth Swede has a weak confidence in the royal family, it has been steady since the surveys began.
Förtroendet för kungahuset rekordhögt_ ”En enande kraft”

 

[LadyFinn]

New survey: Clear majority want to keep the monarchy
Swedes have great trust in the royal house and a majority wants to keep the monarchy. This is shown by a recent Novus survey conducted for TV4 News due to the king celebrating 50 years as regent this year.
64 % believe that the king is a good representative of Sweden. 71 % believe that the Swedish royal house is a good representative and about the same number want to keep the monarchy.
- It is clear that the royal family has a stable position in Swedish society. It is an institution characterized by great stability, says Ulrika Andersson, media researcher at the SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg.
Ny undersökning_ Klar majoritet vill behålla monarkin - tv4.se

 

[LadyFinn]

The people like the king and don't want a republic
The king marches into the jubilee year 2023 with good numbers according to the SOM institute's measurement. He is popular in most groups and trust in the Swedish Royal House is stable. Support for introducing a republic is the lowest in 20 years. Crown Princess Victoria is still the survey's most popular public figure.
- Men and women like the king equally, but when it comes to Crown Princess Victoria, it is clear that women are particularly positive. Even the people who believe that the monarchy should be abolished generally have a positive image of the crown princess, something that must provide good conditions for a future accession to the throne, says Ulrika Andersson, researcher at the SOM institute and responsible for the study.
Ahead of the anniversary year 2023, 44 % of Swedes have fairly or very high confidence in how the Royal Household handles its work, compared to 20 % who have fairly or very little confidence.
For the first time since 2018, the Swedes' attitude to the proposal to introduce a republic with a popularly elected president was studied. Support for this proposal is the lowest measured since 2001. Only 11 % are positive and 68 percent are negative.
Folket tycker om kungen och vill inte ha republik _ Göteborgs universitet

 

[An Ard Ri]

That's good news and the king and Royal Family have a busy 12 months ahead!