Grieving Swedes are expected to rally in their thousands today to show outrage at the murder of Foreign Minister Anna Lindh.
Ms Lindh (46) died yesterday morning after hours of surgery. As flowers piled up on the spot where she fell, politicians called for rallies across the nation today to show unanimity in rejecting violence and embracing democracy.
More than a day after the attack, police had few obvious leads to the mystery knifeman who stabbed Ms Lindh while she was shopping. Swedes worried her murder might remain a mystery like the assassination of Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986.
Prime Minister Goran Persson, leading a trailing "Yes" campaign in the euro vote, will speak at a rally that starts at 5 p.m. local time in Stockholm. The referendum on the euro will go ahead as planned on Sunday.
"I want everyone to go vote in Sunday's referendum. . . . Violence will not prevail," Mr Persson told the nation yesterday. He said all parties had decided to go ahead with the vote on whether Sweden should join the euro zone despite Ms Lindh's death.
Ms Lindh was one of the most outspoken supporters of Europe's common currency, and her murder raised speculation the "Yes" camp - lagging in all opinion polls since April - might win some sympathy votes.
Parties called off campaigning as pro-euro bus stop posters featuring Ms Lindh turned into shrines.