ABSTRACT
During the autumn of 2003, newspaper headlines in Sweden focused on the murder of Anna Lindh, the country’s popular pro-Europe Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the vote against membership in the European Monetary Union. Discussion about the EU constitution failed to generate similar interest, but nevertheless many people remain critical about Sweden’s participation. Swedish involvement in the European Union (EU) has always been controversial. Sweden joined the EU in January 1995, after a majority of 52.3 percent supported EU membership in a referendum. The narrow support exemplified the country’s historically ambivalent relationship with Europe. Uncertainty about Sweden’s place in Europe remains to this day. The continuing debate involves not only the conflicting interests of urban areas and rural residents, but also the divergent emphasis that citizens place on Swedish neutrality.
