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The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs commission has taken a pivotal step by approving Sweden’s bid for NATO membership, marking significant progress in the country’s efforts to join the alliance after 19 months of delays.
The commission, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party), voted in favor of Sweden’s application, which was initially made in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The approval now moves to the full parliament for a vote, where the AK Party and its allies, holding a majority, are expected to pass Sweden’s NATO membership.
However, commission head Fuat Oktay cautioned against expecting a swift decision from the Grand National Assembly, noting that the timing for the vote will be determined by the speaker and mentioning an upcoming two-week recess in early January. “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,” Oktay emphasized.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg have both welcomed the commission’s approval, with Stoltenberg urging Turkey and Hungary, another holdout, to complete their ratifications “as soon as possible.” Erdogan’s prior objections to Sweden’s bid were centered around issues of “terrorism” and trade embargoes, with Turkey demanding more stringent actions against individuals it deems as terrorists and an easing of arms-export policies affecting Turkey. Stockholm’s subsequent legislative and policy changes, along with Finland, Canada, and the Netherlands, have addressed some of these concerns.
As the process progresses, Erdogan has also tied Turkey’s ratification to the US approving sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, a matter recently discussed with President Joe Biden.
