The Social Democrats in power in Sweden announced on Friday April 22 that they intended to reach a decision concerning their country's possible candidacy for NATO by May 24.
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“
We now have a dialogue on security policy within our party (…).
This dialogue should be completed by May 12 and after that we will begin our decision-making process
,” party secretary Tobias Baudin said in a written statement.
The final decision will be made before the next party leadership meeting, scheduled for May 24, he added.
The centre-left Social Democrats, led by Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, have historically opposed NATO membership and reaffirmed this position at the party's last congress in November, but the war in Ukraine has revived the debate in Sweden and within the party.
A reversal of the party would be historic and would open the way to a candidacy of Sweden with a view to joining NATO.
A majority of Swedes and Finns are in favor of NATO membership, according to several polls, a shift in public opinion following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces.
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Sweden is not a NATO member and is officially non-aligned militarily, despite being an alliance partner.
She abandoned her policy of neutrality after the end of the Cold War.
A debate on joining NATO is underway in Finland, which shares a border of more than 1300 km with Russia.
MPs have started to examine the issue and the country could present its candidacy by a next NATO summit in June.