Sweden's republicans want to abolish king's image on coins

Feb 12, 2007, 13:43 GMT

Stockholm - Sweden's small but vocal Republican Association proposed Monday that King Carl XVI Gustaf should no longer feature on the Swedish 1-krona coin.

A more preferable choice on the coin, worth 0.14 dollars, was instead the late author Astrid Lindgren, who would have turned 100 this year, or Lindgren's well-liked fictional character Pippi Longstocking, said Gudrun Schyman, former leader of the Left Party and leader of the Feminist Initiative party.

Lindgren is a 'better symbol for Sweden than the king ever can be,' Schyman said.

Hillevi Larsson, member of parliament for the opposition Social Democrats and leader of the Republican Association, said the image of the monarch and some of his ancestors on banknotes and coins was 'an offensive remnant from the times when Sweden was a dictatorship.'

Larsson said it was 'high time' to replace other kings featured on banknotes, noting that similar moves have been made in Nepal.

Larsson mentioned the 500-kronor (71 dollars) and 1,000-kronor banknotes. King Gustav Vasa, featured on the 1,000-kronor banknote, ruled 1521-1560 and symbolized a monarchy that is inherited while Charles XI (1655-1697) on the 500-kronor banknote was an example of royal autocracy, Larsson said.

The 20-kronor banknote depicts author Selma Lagerlof (1858-1940) who won the Nobel Litererature prize 1909, the 50-kronor banknote features 19th century singer Jenny Lind while the 100-kronor bill features Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus.

This year is the 300th anniversary of Linnaeus' birth.

The Republican Association says it aims to abolish the monarchy via demomcratic means.

Surveys conducted last year in connection with King Carl Gustaf's 60th birthday however suggested there was strong popular support for the monarchy.