EU Cracks Beginning to Grow as Swedish Support Slumps 20%

In the wake of the UK's EU referendum campaign, many Europhiles now fear a chain reaction in which more and more member states may choose to go their own way. Such fears have been stoked further today, with the release of a new poll suggesting a massive 20% dip in support for Sweden's membership of the European Union.

The poll — which was commissioned by Swedish public broadcaster SVT — revealed that just 39% of Swedes consider their country's membership of the EU to be a "good idea." That is in stark contrast to similar polling towards the end of last year, where a comfortable 59% backed the EU. 

The huge shift in public opinion has been attributed to a variety of factors, but the continued refugee crisis is thought to be playing a major role.

Get on with it #Sweden, now the wagon is rolling.#Swexit #Brexit https://t.co/otKILoffso

— Jorgen Faxholm (@JorgenFaxholm) April 18, 2016​

Whilst the influx of refugees seeking asylum in Sweden has been met with mixed reactions, there is a growing sense amongst many Swedes that they have been unfairly burdened with what the Prime Minister called "an unreasonably large responsibility in comparison with other countries in the EU."

Sweden's original offer to take in 54,000 refugees from Hungary last year, has since been dwarfed by the ever increasing numbers of people fleeing to mainland Europe from places like Syria and Afghanistan. Sweden took in more refugees per capita last year than any other EU member state, and continues to have one of the highest populations of refugees in proportion to its own. 

This is not the first time that Sweden's actions have worried proponents of the European Union though.

Earlier this year the country reinstated border checks in an attempt to control what many saw as unmanageable numbers of refugees entering Sweden. That action poses a potential threat to the Schengen Agreement — a central tenet of EU law — which allows free movement across European borders, and could further degrade the extent to which other member states feel bound by the authority of EU law. 

Added to recent refusals to enact benefit cuts for migrant workers in countries like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, supporters of a united Europe are beginning to fear that the sands of public opinion are shifting. 

The cracks are beginning to show and grow, but much of it hangs on the outcome of the UK's referendum, where a vote to leave the EU could easily light the touch paper.  Likewise though, if Britain votes to remain, these impending Eurosceptic storms could still pass. 

The UK will hold its referendum on membership of the European Union on Thursday 23rd of June.