Therefore, there is disagreement about how a NATO decision should be made

In order for Sweden to be able to join NATO, a majority in the Riksdag is required.

But how large a majority S and M disagree on.

At the same time, both parties are leaning towards an investigation from 2016 that examined the conditions for in-depth defense cooperation with NATO, which DN was the first to report on.

Political scientist Jan Teorell is not surprised that the interpretations differ, he tells SVT.

He believes that the investigation can be understood as requiring a qualified majority, ie 75 percent of the votes in the Riksdag.

- For the Social Democrats, it is important to emphasize that they should have a veto on the issue of NATO membership.

Then they refer to an investigation that can be interpreted as they have done, he says. 

However, the moderates believe that S makes too far-reaching interpretations of what applies.

According to the Moderates, who also refer to the inquiry, there is no practice for what is the exercise of authority.

Therefore, according to the party, it is not possible to establish that a NATO decision requires a three-quarters majority in the Riksdag.

- M wants to keep his line and does not want to give S a veto.

Then they interpret the same investigation as requiring only a small majority, says Jan Teorell.  

Gunilla Herolf, associate senior researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute, also believes that the inquiry does not provide any exact answers to how many votes a membership requires in the Riksdag. 

Simple majority is enough "theoretically"

In theory, a simple majority would suffice, says Gunilla Herolf.

According to her, however, it is better to have a broad consensus in the Riksdag - both for Swedish cohesion afterwards, and for NATO members to want to see a united Sweden on this issue. 

- Should Sweden and Finland want to join NATO, there is support for it among the members, but then it is important that we give the right signals, she says.

- At the same time, every NATO member must also say yes to Swedish membership in their parliaments.

Important with unconditional debate

The most important thing for a decision on a Swedish NATO membership is the process before, says Gunilla Herolf.

Then it is important that the issue is unconditionally discussed and that the parties do not just vote according to their previous opinions and political interests, she says.

 - Finally, the issue must be tried legally.

Then perhaps you can land in how large a majority in the Riksdag is actually required for a Swedish NATO decision.