Turkey parliament commission approves Sweden Nato bid

Sweden has taken a significant step towards joining Nato, after the Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs commission approved Stockholm’s bid.

The move is crucial for Sweden’s bid to join the western alliance. It follows a 19-month delay due to Turkey demanding certain security measures from Stockholm.

The commission, led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), voted on Tuesday to support the application from Sweden.

Stockholm, along with neighbour Finland, applied to join the western military alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year.

The ratification process now moves to the parliament itself – the Grand National Assembly of Turkey – which Mr Erdogan’s party also controls.

If the parliament votes in favour of Sweden’s bid, Mr Erdogan will sign off on the decision to complete the process.

Commission head Fuat Oktay said the vote may not happen immediately. The assembly Speaker would set the timetable, he added.

“The decision to submit it to the General Assembly has been made now, but this should not be interpreted as [a sign] that it will pass the General Assembly with the same speed. There is no such thing,” said Mr Oktay.

Approval has been expected by some of Turkey’s allies and is considered to be a significant moment in assessing Ankara’s relations with the West.

The AKP, along with its Nationalist Movement Party allies as well as the opposition Republican People’s Party, voted in favour of the ratification.

The smaller Islamist Felicity Party and the nationalist Iyi party opposed Sweden joining.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commended the

Turkish parliamentary committee for approving Sweden’s bid. He urged Turkey and Hungary – which has also been delaying agreeing to Stockholm’s bid to join the bloc – to complete ratifications promptly.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom welcomed the commission’s decision.

Turkey initially opposed Sweden and Finland joining Nato, with Mr Erdogan citing their support for groups Ankara deems terrorist organisations, as well as embargoes on defence exports to Turkey.

Sweden, which has been waiting longer than Finland did for ratification, was required to take measures against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), labelled a terrorist organisation by the EU and the US. Ankara accused Sweden of being a haven for PKK sympathisers.

Stockholm introduced a new antiterrorism law and – with Finland, Canada and the Netherlands – took steps to relax policies on arms exports to Turkey.

Mr Erdogan linked the forwarding of Sweden’s application to parliament in October to US approval of F-16 fighter jet sales. Despite White House support, the sale is pending US congressional approval.

Turkey faces opposition due to its human rights record.