The Turkish parliament finally approved Sweden’s entry into NATO after a long period of anticipation. With 287 votes in favor, out of the 346 members, Turkey took a major step in favor of Sweden’s accession into the military alliance, ending a year-long struggle. Only 55 Turkish lawmakers voted against the motion during the voting session. The decision came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan submitted a bill for membership approval three months prior.
Following the announcement, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his satisfaction and thanked the Turkish parliament for the vote. However, the Swedish government is now awaiting the Turkish president’s signature for the ratification process to be completed.
If the bill is signed by the Turkish president, Hungary will remain the only country yet to ratify Sweden’s membership. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán recently hinted at progress, inviting Kristersson for negotiations. Sweden and Finland both applied for accession to NATO in May 2022, marking a historic shift in their security policies in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Meanwhile, outgoing Finnish President Sauli Niinistö congratulated the Finnish government and emphasized the importance of Sweden’s membership for the security of the Baltic region. Turkey has also asked Sweden to strengthen its stance against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), while Sweden has already signed a deal with the United States to grant access to 17 of its military bases.
The approval from the Turkish parliament brings Sweden one step closer to full NATO membership, with Finland having already joined the alliance in 2023.
