Finland’s parliamentary parties, with the exception of the Left Alliance, have reached a broad consensus on proceeding with Nato legislation before the end of this parliamentary term.
Although the governing coalition partner the Left Alliance is opposed to moving ahead in the accession process without Nordic neighbour Sweden, the party said it is satisfied with the majority decision.
The preliminary agreement, reached at a meeting of party leaders on Friday morning, means that Parliament can approve the legislation related to Nato accession even though Hungary and Turkey have yet to ratify Finland’s membership application.
Although Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of Finland joining the alliance last year, by 188 votes to 8, a separate Nato membership bill would determine the details and timing of when Finland would join.
Speaker of Parliament Matti Vanhanen (Centre) and Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Jussi Halla-aho (Finns) were among the MPs to suggest that Parliament should wait for the Turkish and Hungarian ratifications before making its own final decision.
Parties debate Nato schedule
Following Friday morning’s meeting of party leaders, arranged by Vanhanen, the Foreign Affairs Committee will prepare a report based on the outcome.
Committee chair Halla-aho noted before the meeting that a clear consensus among the party leaders was emerging on the issue, with which the majority of the Finnish people also agree, that Finland should move ahead with the Nato legislation.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Sanna Marin‘s Social Democratic Party as well as the Centre Party, the Greens and the opposition National Coalition Party announced they were in favour of approving the bill before parliament goes into pre-election recess on 3 March.
Left: Finland will lose control of timetable
The Left Alliance party was the only party to oppose the move towards legislation.
“Of course, we’ll go with the majority here too,” Jussi Saramo (Left), chair of the party’s parliamentary group, told Yle.
However, he noted that by pushing the legislation through too quickly, and before Turkey and Hungary ratify the Finnish bid, Finland is ceding control over the accession timetable.
“We will not become members of Nato until [Hungarian Prime Minister] Orban and [Turkish President] Erdogan have agreed to it. Keeping the timetable in the hands of Parliament would be sensible. This is a shot in the arm for Turkey to continue with their divide and rule game,” Saramo said.
He further noted that his party fears Sweden will not be able to follow the same accession timetable if the Finnish Parliament pushes on.
SPP: Finnish, Swedish accession still possible
Anders Adlercreutz, chair of the Swedish People’s Party’s parliamentary group, told Yle he believes that Nato can ultimately ensure the simultaneous accession of Finland and Sweden, regardless of whether the Finnish parliament passes the membership bill.
“The actual entry into Nato is largely in Nato’s hands, how it is timed. Nato has hoped that we would join at the same time. Nato can then decide when and how the countries will be invited to join,” Adlercreutz said, adding that the Finnish parliament’s move could also help to accelerate the Swedish process.
“Of course, it would be good if Sweden were now able to make swift progress on this issue,” he said.
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