¡¡STOCKHOLM, Jan. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Support for the Swedish monarchyhas grown since the Asian tsunami disaster, with 80 percent of Swedes saying they support the royal family and just 16 percent saying they wanted them removed, Radio Sweden reported on Monday.

    The royal family normally enjoys 65 to 70 percent popular support but in the aftermath of the tsunami, which saw King Carl XVI Gustav speak openly and emotionally about the tragedy, supporthas grown.

    This compares with very little change in support for various political parties since the disaster, despite the sometimes harsh criticism the government has received over their handling of the crisis.

    Fifty-two Swedes died in the disaster, 637 are confirmed missing and a further 893 are unaccounted for.

    A new poll shows that most Swedes have not changed their party affiliation in the past month, meaning that the opposition conservative Moderates, along with likely coalition partners, remain in a statistical dead heat with the ruling Social Democratsand their supporters. Enditem