Zweedse regering voornemens om EU-grondwet eind 2005 door parlement te loodsen (en)

Sweden is set to adopt the EU Constitution by the end of 2005, according to a working plan from the governing Social Democrat government.

A bill on ratification of the Constitution will be presented to the Swedish Parliament by September 2005 with view to adoption in December 2005, according to the plan.

A majority in the current Swedish Parliament is in favour of the Constitution.

Only the Swedish Green Party and the Left Party have demanded that the decision be taken by referendum.

"It [the current parliament] has no mandate to take such a big decision, as the question was not discussed at all in the previous election campaign", Green MP Maria Wetterstrand told Dagens Nyheter.

The timetable would ensure ratification of the Constitution ahead of the next general elections in Sweden due in 2006, defusing the potential potency of Eurosceptic groups such as the Junelist, which fared well in European elections.