Swedes want royalty, but not current one

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Most Swedes say they are satisfied with the country's monarchy, but want ruling King Carl XVI Gustaf to step down in favor of his daughter, a poll indicates.

While 70 percent of those polled said they were happy to retain the monarchy, some 60 percent said they wanted Crown Princess Victoria to take the throne, The Local.se reported Wednesday.

Some 23 percent said they wanted the king to abdicate "within 10 years," while 20 percent wanted him to abandon the throne "within five years." Seventeen percent said he should leave "as soon as possible."

Carl XVI Gustaf has ruled since 1973, but a 2010 biography detailed numerous alleged affairs in which the married king has been involved.

Some 1,000 people were interviewed in the survey, which was conducted Dec. 10-13. A margin of error was not reported.