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| Europe |
| Attack on minister halts euro campaign |
| 2003-09-10 |
| Now this is weird... Campaigning ahead of Sweden’s euro referendum was suspended on Wednesday night after Anna Lindh, the country’s foreign minister, was repeatedly stabbed while shopping in Stockholm. Göran Persson, prime minister, said it was too early to say whether Sunday’s vote would be postponed. An unidentified assailant stabbed Ms Lindh in the chest, stomach and arms while she was shopping in the city’s exclusive NK department store on Wednesday afternoon. Police said her injuries were "serious but not life-threatening". "There is nothing pointing at a political motive right now," Björn Pihlblad, a police spokesman, said. Mr Persson said his Social Democratic party would suspend all euro campaigning until further notice. Euro opponents also suspended campaigning and condemned the assault as an attack on democracy. She has been among the most prominent faces in the Yes campaign, featuring on thousands of billboards as well as on the campaign trail. An accomplished TV performer, she had been scheduled to represent the Yes side in a TV debate on Wednesday night. Five separate opinion polls on Wednesday suggested Swedes were almost certain to reject euro membership in Sunday’s vote, with the No side strengthening its grip. Demoskop gave euro opponents 47 per cent of the vote, against 38 per cent for the pro-euro camp, widening the No lead from five percentage points to nine over the last week. Sifo put the No lead at 49-39 and Gallup at 47-35. So... One of the most prominent and popular campaigners for the "Yes" to the Euro campaign is attacked five days before voting. Could be a lone nutcase. Could be apolitical. Seems highly unlikely this would be motivated by anyone sane who was anti-Euro... |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #1 Could be something in the meatballs... |
| Posted by: seafarious 2003-9-10 5:20:53 PM |