In Visby, Gotland, politics is currently being discussed during the traditional Almedalen week. The party leaders have avoided the unclear NATO situation and the patience of the Swedes is sorely tested.
VISBY, GOTLAND In terms of Sweden’s NATO membership, we are living decisive days if the goal is to accept Sweden as a member of the defense alliance at the summit in Vilnius on July 11.
In their speeches during the Almedalen policy week, the party leaders have avoided NATO membership as a topic and focused on internal political issues, such as curbing gang violence.
For example, the Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson focused almost entirely on social policy and what preventive measures the government is trying to implement so that children do not join gangs.
Afterwards, in an interview with , Kristersson stressed that it is not a matter of him not working with full force to make NATO membership a reality. In this situation, he repeated that he respects Turkey’s right to its own decision.
Chairman of the largest opposition party, the Social Democrats Magdalena Andersson did not mention NATO in his speech at all. After the speech, Andersson said that his party is on the same lines as the current government regarding NATO membership.
Andersson, however, found something to note in Kristersson’s government’s attitude towards Turkey and its president to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
– The new government has made some changes to what we did, which I would not have done as prime minister.
– For example, they talked about Turkey as a democracy and distanced themselves from Kurdish organizations in a way that we did not, Andersson lists.
Turkey tests the patience of the Swedes
In the center of Visby, the streets are packed during the super week of politics. Almost everyone seems to have an opinion about stalling NATO membership.
Bisse Alm considers it completely unreasonable that in Stockholm it was allowed to burn the Koran on Wednesday.
– I feel really bad that we accept the burning of the Koran in this political situation. It is so wrong, wrong, wrong, Alm underlines.
Hedda Jederud Grew has a different opinion. Erdogan has already given up too much about him.
– I could have accepted up to a certain point, but if we also take into account everything that happened before last year, for example the refugee agreement, then we concede too much to a person who resembles Putin too much, Jederud Grew compares.
Anders Gustafsson in my opinion, the concessions have not yet gone too far.
– I don’t think we have given in too much, but we shouldn’t agree to more. Hopefully the other NATO countries will be able to convince Turkey that we must be accepted, Gustafsson hopes.
Robin Rushdie Al-Salehi says that Erdogan has made Sweden a pawn.
– If you think about how Erdogan has used Sweden in his election campaign, then Sweden has become a pawn in a big geopolitical game, Rushdi Al-Salehi interprets.
Kristina from Jonäng it would have been the best**,** if Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership would have been realized at an even pace.
– Maybe we have been naive and believed that everything will go easily. Now it has been seen that it is not so. So this is now a difficult choice for us in terms of security policy, Jonäng reflects.