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Sweden's republicans want to abolish royal images on coins, notes
Mar 16, 2010, 17:00 GMT
Stockholm - Sweden's small but vocal Republican Association said Tuesday it wants to see the profiles of kings disappear from on new Swedish coins and banknotes.
'The portraits of kings are not in step with the times,' the association said on the eve of a meeting of the central bank's General Council to review the designs of future banknotes and coins.
The Republican Association suggested that current banknotes such as the 500-kronor (71 dollars) one featuring King Charles XI (1655- 1697) should be replaced, citing that he hailed from an era of autocratic monarchy.
The association in 2007 made a similar call suggesting that the late author Astrid Lindgren or Lindgren's well-liked fictional character Pippi Longstocking should feature on the 1-krona coin instead of current King Carl XVI Gustaf.
The 20-kronor banknote depicts author Selma Lagerlof (1858-1940) who won the Nobel Literature prize 1909, the 50-kronor banknote features 19th century singer Jenny Lind while the 100-kronor bill features Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus.
The Republican Association says its goal is to see the monarchy abolished by demomratic means, but surveys conducted in recent years suggest there is widespread support for Sweden's royals.
The upcoming June 19 wedding between Crown Princess Victoria and her fiance, Daniel Westling, is also expected to boost support for the monarchy.
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