Turkey’s parliament approves Sweden’s NATO membership in historic vote

Turkish legislators granted approval for Sweden’s accession to NATO, marking a pivotal moment in the previously nonaligned country’s path to joining the military alliance. The endorsement came through with a decisive 287 votes in favor, 55 against, and four abstentions, signaling a substantial majority in support of Sweden’s NATO membership. The ratified accession protocol is set to take effect promptly upon publication in the Official Gazette.

Turkey, a NATO member, had prolonged Sweden’s entry for over a year, citing concerns about the country’s perceived leniency toward groups deemed security threats by Ankara. The delay was coupled with Turkey seeking concessions from Sweden, including a more robust stance against Kurdish militants and individuals associated with a 2016 coup attempt. Tensions escalated further due to demonstrations in Sweden supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party and controversial Quran-burning protests.

Last month, the parliament’s foreign affairs committee initiated the legislative process’s first stage, providing consent for Sweden’s NATO bid after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan submitted the accession protocol for approval. The ruling party and nationalist allies, holding a majority in parliament, overwhelmingly supported the protocol in the subsequent vote on Tuesday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar argued in favor of Sweden’s membership, citing the steps taken by Sweden to address Turkish concerns, including lifting restrictions on defense industry sales and amending anti-terrorism laws. Sweden, in turn, pledged increased cooperation with Turkey on counterterrorism and support for Turkey’s EU membership aspirations.

While Turkey’s main opposition party endorsed Sweden’s NATO membership, a center-right party and the pro-Kurdish party expressed opposition, highlighting concerns about Sweden’s extradition policies and counterterrorism efforts. Erdogan linked the ratification to U.S. Congress approving Turkey’s request for F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits, urging other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes on Turkey.

In Washington, the National Security Council indicated that the U.S. administration had been closely monitoring the Turkish parliament’s decision. While not formally linked, influential members of Congress had suggested tying the F-16 sale to Sweden’s NATO membership ratification.

The NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, welcomed Turkey’s decision and called on Hungary to complete its national ratification promptly. Hungary had also delayed Sweden’s bid, alleging false statements about its democracy. With NATO requiring unanimous approval for expansion, Turkey and Hungary were the final holdouts, frustrating other NATO allies pressing for swift accession of Sweden and Finland.