The Swedish Social Democratic government announced today the start of an internal debate on the country’s strategic situation and the possibility of joining NATO, a scenario that has been open since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Swedish Prime Minister and ruling party leader Magdalena Andersson said at the end of March that she “does not rule out” a candidacy for the Western military alliance, after initially expressing a preference for her country to remain outside the alliances. . military.
The Social Democratic Party, historically opposed to joining NATO, confirmed at its last conference a proposal to this effect.
Anderson said she is ready to change her strategy, five months before the election, when the issue is central.
Tobias Bodin, the party’s number two, noted that the discussion was open to all party members and would be “a discussion broader than a question of yes or no for NATO membership”.
The Social Democratic leader noted that the “dialogue on security policy” should end before summer (the northern hemisphere, winter in Brazil).
A change of direction by Sweden’s main party will open the way for the country to join the Atlantic alliance, at a time when Finland is also preparing to make that decision before the summer.
