No Camp Edges Ahead As Swedes Struggle to Make Up Minds on Euro

Sweden's decision whether to join the euro lies with voters who have still to make up their minds before next month's referendum, the latest polls showed yesterday.

According to one poll, 40% remain undecided; another showed a clear 10-point lead for the no side.

Sweden's vote is crucial on several counts. A yes would make it more likely that Denmark, which rejected the euro three years ago, would join and leave Britain alone among the EU 15 current members.

Assuming that Britain did not have a euro referendum during this parliament, a Swedish no would reduce its isolation, but it would be a blow to the eurozone itself, at a time of economic gloom and when the union's 10 new members are obliged to join.

The European commission president, Romano Prodi, tried to boost the yes side yesterday by saying that the single currency would be good for the Swedish economy.

And in Stockholm the foreign minister, Anna Lindh, a leading yes campaigner, went further, saying that jobs would be in danger if Sweden stayed out. "I don't want to resort to scare tactics," she said, " but we must inform the public of the risks of staying outside the euro."

Yesterday's Danske Bank poll found that 53% of Swedes would vote against the euro, and 43% said they'd vote for it.

The yes camp is led by the prime minister Goran Persson's Social Democrats, supported by the other big political parties and big business.

Trade unions and women's groups are active on the no side.

Drawing on the experience of the 1994 Swedish referendum on EU membership, when 30% of the voters made up their mind in the last week, and 20% changed sides, analysts believe the final few days of campaigning will be decisive.

Danske's findings point to a possible repeat of what happened then, since only 39% of those planning to vote no were certain of their choice.

"The yes side still has a chance to win back the no side's lead, especially as it is likely to have more money for an intensive campaign in the last weeks," Danske said.