Turkey’s Parliament Approves Sweden’s NATO Membership Bid

The Turkish Parliament, in a session on Tuesday, voted in favor of Sweden’s NATO membership bid, marking a crucial advancement in the Nordic country’s path to joining the military alliance. Of the 346 MPs who cast their votes, 287 supported Sweden’s accession, while 55 opposed it, with four abstentions. This parliamentary approval follows the endorsement by Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Commission last month, constituting the second step in the ratification process. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan now has the authority to sign the protocol into law.

Despite this progress, Hungary remains the sole NATO member yet to ratify Sweden’s accession. Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, however, expressed openness to negotiations with his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, during an invitation extended on Tuesday.

Sweden and Finland submitted their NATO membership applications in May 2022, prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year. While Finland successfully joined NATO in April 2023, doubling the alliance’s border with Russia, Sweden has faced delays. Initially objecting to Sweden’s bid, Erdogan criticized Swedish officials for being “too lenient” on militant groups like the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). In response, Sweden strengthened its anti-terror legislation and committed to enhanced collaboration with Turkey on security matters.

Erdogan’s final approval hinges on a commitment from the United States, with the Turkish president indicating that he will not sign the protocol into law unless the US approves the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair, Ben Cardin, clarified on Tuesday that Congress awaits the completion of accession documents before advancing on the matter.