"A NATO debate in a rarely seen consensus"

There was a total change of scene when the second hour of the party leader debate began.

During the first hour, the tone was hectic and sometimes condemning when the party leaders debated integration and the riots during the Easter weekend.

The accusations hailed and it is obvious that this could be one of the big election issues in September.

But immediately after the break when the NATO issue was to be debated, it was rather a conversation in agreement between Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and opposition leader Ulf Kristersson.

In any case, there was no debate.

On the contrary, those concerned seemed to agree on the threat posed by Russia and the security policy significance of the war in Ukraine.

They also fully agreed on the importance of broad political agreement on a future decision on a possible Swedish NATO membership.

The only thing Magdalena Andersson did not explicitly say during Sunday's debate was how she herself views the issue.

However, a message from her and her party is expected to arrive within a week.

The Social Democrats' party board is preparing to make a decisive decision next Sunday.

Comical when Kristersson defends the Prime Minister

Should the Social Democrats land in a yes to Swedish NATO membership, which most indications are, a broad majority will be created in the Riksdag.

Only the Left Party and the Green Party are against NATO, other parties are in favor.

During the party leader debate, it became almost comical when the M leader Ulf Kristersson, who normally only has harsh words to say about the government, chose to defend the Prime Minister against attacks from the Left Party and the Green Party.

For Magdalena Andersson, it is not a wishful thinking to be in conflict in such a heavy issue with two parties on which she probably needs to build a continued government holding.

It is also an important explanation for the Social Democrats wanting to decide the NATO issue before the election campaign.

The Left Party and the Green Party hope with their NATO opposition to be able to attract dubious or critical S voters.

They use similar arguments that Social Democrats have previously often used against NATO membership, for example that Sweden becomes part of a nuclear weapons alliance and will lose the opportunity to pursue an independent foreign policy.

Here, Magdalena Andersson took her new position and claimed that Sweden, even as a NATO member, will be able to pursue a continued independent foreign policy.

The NATO country Norway is a good example of this, the Prime Minister emphasized.

V and MP stand alone

The Green Party's Märta Stenevi pushed the line that a possible NATO membership should be tried in an election campaign as both the Sweden Democrats and the Social Democrats were against such in the last election.

The Left Party's Nooshi Dadgostar highlighted NATO countries such as Turkey and Hungary as dangerous allies and warned that it could have fatal consequences for Sweden.

But Nooshi Dadgostar and Märta Stenevi were alone in their criticism of NATO in Sunday night's debate.

Other party leaders downplayed or questioned their statements.

The Swedish political system thus seems to be preparing for an application for NATO membership.

Historically, the importance of broad agreement on crucial parts of foreign and security policy has often been emphasized by Swedish politicians.

So it looks like it could be so even this time if the Social Democrats land in a yes next Sunday.