Erdogan finally unlocks Sweden’s accession to NATO

After more than a year of bloc, the Turkish president’s press office announced this Monday that Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent the protocol for Sweden’s accession to NATO to the Parliament after signing the text this morning.

The news was received with evident satisfaction in Stockholm, where the Government has been trying for months to convince Ankara to allow its accession to the Atlantic Alliance after more than two centuries of military non-alignment. “We look forward to becoming a member of NATO,” wrote Sweden’s conservative prime minister. Ulf Kristerssonon the social network X, formerly Twitter.

For his part, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström expressed the expectation that the process will be completed by the end of November and that Sweden will be a full member of the alliance when it holds its meeting of foreign ministers on the following days. 28 and 29 of that month.

“The Secretary General of NATO reported a few days ago that he assumes that Sweden will be a member of NATO before the meeting of foreign ministers at the end of November, that this is the roadmap,” Billström said in statements quoted by the agency. Swedish news station TT.

The step taken today by Erdogan, however, is the first of three, Billström clarified. “Now (the protocol) goes to Parliament to be considered and voted on and then it goes back to President Erdogan for a final signature, and then it is ready,” he added.

On the other hand, the Minister of Defense, Pal Jonson, expressed the expectation that Hungary, the other country that along with Turkey has not ratified Sweden’s entry, “will comply with what was agreed” and approve it before Ankara. “What Hungary has conveyed is that it will not be the last country to process our application,” he told TT.

For the leader of the opposition, the social democrat Magdalena Andersson, who as prime minister presented the application for membership in May 2022, “it is good news for Sweden that President Erdoğan has presented to the Turkish Parliament the protocol on Sweden’s accession to NATO.” “We hope for a quick approval,” Andersson told public television SVT.

However, Paul Levin, director of the Turkey Institute at Stockholm University, is betting on ringing bells. Levin believes the matter could be discussed in Parliament this week or next. But it is not yet clear what the result will be.

“This is a big step, but not the last. I don’t think you should shout hello just yet. A lot depends on how much pressure Erdogan will put on his own parliamentarians and those in his government alliance to vote, in which case this could happen very quickly.” , added the expert.