Turkish Lawmakers Approve Sweden’s NATO Membership

News come from source of Reader Wall confirmed that legislators in Turkey have given the green light to Sweden’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The approval marks a significant step forward for the previously nonaligned nation in its journey to join the military alliance.

Vote for Membership Ratification

The regulatory framework for Sweden’s entry into NATO saw support from 287 legislators, with 55 votes against and another four abstaining. Effective upon its publication in the Official Gazette, the ratification’s progress is expected to be quick.

With Turkey’s endorsement, Hungary is the only NATO ally yet to ratify Sweden’s accession into the organization.

The Controversy Around Sweden’s Membership

For more than a year, Turkey, a NATO member state, stalled Sweden’s membership process. Accusing Sweden of being excessively tolerant of groups Ankara views as security threats. It sought concessions from Stockholm, including a firmer stance towards Kurdish militants and groups Turkey holds responsible for a failed coup in 2016.

Ankara had also expressed disapproval towards the storms of demonstrations by supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Sweden, along with Quran-burning protests that inflamed Muslim countries.

Approval from the Parliamentary Committee

Last month, Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee expressed its approval for Sweden’s bid, a move catalyzed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s submission of the accession protocol to lawmakers for sanction.

Arguments in Favor of Sweden’s NATO Membership

Backing Sweden’s membership, Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar mentioned Sweden’s proactive measures to satisfy Turkish demands. These included lifting limitations on defense industry sales and revising anti-terrorism laws.

Sweden has committed to tighter cooperation with Turkey on counter-terrorism matters and endorsed Turkey’s aspiration to rekindle its European Union membership bid.

Opposition to Sweden’s NATO Accession

While Turkey’s main opposition party supported Sweden’s membership in the alliance, a centrist-right party and the nation’s pro-Kurdish party openly declared their opposition. Musavat Dervisoglu, a legislator from the Good Party, criticized Sweden’s efforts regarding the extradition of wanted criminals and the fight against terrorism as limited and insufficient.

Ties to U.S. Arms Sales

President Erdogan conjoined the ratification of Sweden’s NATO accession with the approval by the U.S. Congress of a Turkish request to procure 40 new F-16 fighter jets and kits to upgrade Turkey’s current fleet. Urges to Canada and other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes on Turkey also accompanied Turkey’s approval.

Final Remarks

Sweden and Finland, renouncing their traditional stances of military neutrality, sought protection under NATO’s shield following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Hungary, another NATO member, also delayed Sweden’s entry into NATO, alleging that Swedish politicians have been misleading about Hungary’s democratic condition. Nonetheless, NATO requires unanimous approval from all present members for expansion.