The Swedish Parliament is debating the security policy analysis published last Friday today. The ruling Social Democrats sided behind a military alliance on Sunday.
16.5. 11:15 • Updated May 16th. 11:34
The Swedish Parliament is debating the country’s NATO membership today. Officially, the debate concerns the security policy analysis released last Friday, which listed a number of pro-membership issues.
Discussion started at 11.30 Finnish time (you will switch to another service) will be followed in this article. The Prime Minister will speak first Magdalena Andersson, which takes up to 20 minutes to initialize. After that, representatives of all parliamentary parties will speak for a maximum of ten minutes. With the exception of the Liberals, the party chairmen will speak.
– Europe, Sweden and the Swedish people are now living in a new dangerous reality, Andersson said at the beginning of his speech.
– Russia is violating the laws of war and human rights. Putin is pushing Russia in an increasingly totalitarian direction. Developments will not change in the near future. We need to be prepared for Russia to do the same in our neighborhood, Andersson continued.
Security Policy Analysis: NATO Second Security
All parties in the parliament took part in the analysis, which was published on Friday, and the parties involved in the work were unanimous about the change in the security situation in Sweden due to Russia’s actions.
However, the Left Party and the Environmental Party did not accept the report’s conclusions regarding the military alliance. The report did not take a direct position in favor of Sweden’s NATO membership, but said that possible membership would bring security to the country.
The ruling Social Democrats, after a meeting of their party government yesterday, supported Sweden’s accession to NATO.
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said the government was ready to make a formal decision on applying for membership after today’s parliamentary debate. However, the timing of such a decision is still unclear.
Six parties support and two oppose NATO membership
Behind Sweden’s NATO membership is the majority of the Swedish parliament, as only the Environment Party and the Left Party do not support the application for membership. Six parties support membership.
Andersson justified the decision with, among other things, historical ties and co-operation with Finland. Excluding NATO would leave Sweden in a vulnerable position.
In accordance with the decision of the SDP’s party government, Sweden does not want nuclear weapons or permanent bases for foreign soldiers on its territory upon NATO membership.