Zweeds parlement is tegen Europese president (en)

A majority in Sweden's parliament, the Riksdagen, is tomorrow set to oppose Prime Minister Göran Persson's support of a permanent EU president as foreseen under the draft EU Constitution, according to a parliament report seen by the Swedish daily, Dagens Nyheter.

The report from parliament's combined ad hoc Constitution and Foreign Policy Commitee will not include any explicit censure of the Government's line of conduct.

The Committee will, however, assume "that the Government will pursue the issues laid down by Riksdagen", writes Dagens Nyheter.

Among the hottest issues is the proposal for a permanent President of the European Council.

During parliamentary question time on Monday, foreign minister Laila Freivalds said that the government is "against an EU President" but in favour of an "elected spokesperson".

She stated that the cause of the disagreement was a translation error. The correct translation into Swedish of the French word "président" should have been the Swedish equivalent of "chairman" or "spokesperson", "ordförande", she said.