Stockholm - Swedish opposition to introducing the joint European currency, the euro, has declined but a majority of voters still favour keeping the Swedish currency, a new survey said Monday.

The poll commissioned by the Dagens Nyheter newspaper showed that 48 per cent opposed replacing the krona with the euro while 44 per cent favoured introducing it.

The survey indicated that 7 per cent were undecided or would abstain from voting.

The November poll indicated that opposition to the euro was strongest in rural areas, among women and supporters of the opposition Left Party, Green Party and the Social Democrats.

However, a majority of backers of the Centre Party - one of four parties in the ruling coalition - were also opposed to replacing the krona. Fifty per cent were against while 45 per cent favoured replacing the krona, the poll said.

Market research group Synovate interviewed some 1,000 Swedes by telephone November 17 to 20.

In a referendum five years ago, 56 per cent of Swedish voters said they wanted to keep the krona while 42 per cent favoured the euro.

In May, a similar Synovate poll suggested that roughly 34 per cent favoured introducing the euro while over 51 per cent did not want to replace the krona.

Sweden joined the European Union in 1995. (dpa)