Turkish parliament has until December 10 to vote on Swedish NATO application

THE Turkish parliament must vote on the Swedish NATO application by December 10 at the latest.

Documents published on the Turkish parliament’s website show that the Swedish NATO application is to be processed during the autumn session.

In practice, this means that the vote will take place no later than December 10, as the parliament will then turn to putting all its energy into processing the country’s budget, a source close to TT explained, as reported by svt.se this Monday, October 30.

When Finland’s application was ratified, the process took about two weeks. But Sweden is having to wait a lot longer. Instead, it looks like being the normal procedure, which usually takes between four and six weeks.

When did President Erdogan submit the documents?

President Erdogan is known to have sent the documents to parliament for ratification last week. On Thursday 26, the parliament’s foreign affairs committee begins to seriously consider the autumn’s matters, including the Swedish application. The defence committee must also give its opinion on whether Sweden should be approved.

Once the committees have completed their work, the issue will go to a vote in the main chamber of parliament, no later than December 10.

Theoretically, Sweden could become a full member at the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on November 28-29 if Turkey was to make a quicker decision.

What if the application is downgraded by parliament?

Recent signals from Turkey have suggested that the Swedish application could end up in an even longer process, if its importance was to be downgraded by the parliament. In that was the case then the ratification could drag on into next year.

Unless something happens that again disrupts the Swedish-Turkish relationship – for example a new Koran burning – then all Stockholm can do is be patient and wait.

Another question mark hangs over how Hungary will act. Previously, the Hungarian government said that the country would not be the last to approve the Swedish NATO application.

However, the government in Budapest came with demands last week for an explanation from the Swedish government about the recent criticism that Swedish politicians directed at the country’s democratic development.