NATO Membership [UPSC Current Affairs]

Turkey and Hungary are blocking Sweden’s path to NATO membership, while Finland joined the alliance in April 2023. In this article, you can read all about the membership procedure of NATO, and why certain countries are objecting to Sweden joining the organisation. This topic is relevant for the IAS exam international relations segment.

Procedure to Get Membership in NATO

Membership in NATO is open to countries that share the organization’s values and are committed to its mission of collective defense.

• Countries that wish to join NATO must first express their desire to do so and undergo a period of dialogue and consultation with the alliance.
• The decision to invite a country to join NATO is made by the existing member countries based on a consensus agreement.
  • In the case of Sweden, membership is blocked due to non-agreement by Turkey and Hungary.
• A prospective member country must demonstrate that it has a functioning democratic political system, a market economy, and the capability to contribute to the organization’s collective defense efforts.
• The candidate country must also demonstrate a commitment to the rule of law, human rights, and international stability.
• Once invited to join, the candidate country must ratify the North Atlantic Treaty and other related agreements.
• The membership process can take several years, as the candidate country must complete a series of reforms and meet the standards required of NATO members.

Read more about NATO in the linked article.

Why does Turkey Object to Sweden Joining NATO?

• Turkey has objected to Sweden’s membership in NATO, blocking its ratification in the alliance.
• Turkey’s objection is based on a number of issues it believes Sweden has not addressed, including concerns over human rights and democratic standards in Sweden.
• Turkey has also accused Sweden of harbouring members of what it considers to be terrorist groups and has demanded their extradition as a condition for ratifying Swedish membership in NATO.
• Sweden’s courts have blocked some expulsions of individuals sought by Turkey, which has further complicated the issue.
• Turkey has also taken issue with recent protests in Stockholm where the Muslim holy book, the Quran, was burned and an effigy of Turkish President Erdogan was hanged upside down.
• Ankara has described these as hate crimes, while Sweden argues that they are protected by freedom of speech laws.
• The issue has been complicated by Turkey’s upcoming election, with President Erdogan facing his biggest political challenge in two decades.
• Turkey may be using the NATO issue to divert attention away from domestic issues, and the outcome of the election could have an impact on whether Sweden’s membership is ratified.

Why does Hungary Object to Sweden Joining NATO?

• Hostile attitude: Hungary accuses Sweden of having a hostile attitude towards Budapest for years.
• Criticism of Prime Minister Orban: Hungary is angry about Swedish criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orban over the perceived erosion of the rule of law. Orban denies such erosion.
• Grievances need to be addressed: Unlike Turkey, Hungary does not have a list of demands but says that grievances need to be addressed before it can ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO.

Conclusion: The delay in Sweden’s NATO membership reflects the complex political landscape within the alliance and tensions with Russia. Turkey and Hungary’s objections are based on differing political disagreements, rather than any imminent security threat to Sweden.

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