The Riksdag votes on Sweden's NATO membership

Everything indicates that the Riksdag will say yes to Swedish NATO membership today. This means that the government will formally get the green light to join Sweden to the defense alliance when all NATO countries have ratified the application.

MP and V are against

There is a broad majority in favour of the decision. Only the Left Party and the Green Party are opposed and will both vote no. The two have made their own proposals that it should be legislated that nuclear weapons may not be on Swedish territory if we join NATO.

The bill states that "the government does not see as much as other Nordic countries, that there are reasons for having nuclear weapons or permanent bases on Swedish territory in peacetime". V and MP believe that this wording is too unclear.

Several changes to the law

The decision will entail several legislative changes. Among other things, it is proposed that in the event of war or war danger, the government should be able to request military support from NATO on its own, without a decision from the Riksdag.

The government will also be given the authority to request military support from NATO to prevent violations of Swedish territory, both in war and peacetime.

In these cases, the government will be allowed to entrust certain administrative tasks to NATO.

Swedish forces abroad

Should Sweden ever declare war, however, it must continue to be decided in the Riksdag, except in the event of an armed attack against Sweden. Deciding whether to send military support to other countries, which may be required if we are part of NATO, must also continue to be approved by the Riksdag.

The fact that parliament votes through the bill means the biggest security policy change in 200 years. This is the opinion of Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M).

"Once the Riksdag has made this decision, we have made a change that for the foreseeable future will change Sweden's security policy conditions. Of course, for the better because we will have protection as a member of a military alliance," he said when the proposal was tabled.