'Trust Representative Democracy': All Swedish Parties Oppose NATO Referendum

© REUTERS / Yves HermanSwedish soldiers take part in a military exercise called "Cold Response 2022", gathering around 30,000 troops from NATO member countries plus Finland and Sweden, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Evenes, Norway, March 22, 2022.
Swedish soldiers take part in a military exercise called Cold Response 2022, gathering around 30,000 troops from NATO member countries plus Finland and Sweden, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Evenes, Norway, March 22, 2022.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 25.04.2022
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When Sweden was debating whether to join the EU or deciding on the future of nuclear power, the issues were determined by referendum. Today, however, no Swedish party is advocating that voters have a say on NATO membership, citing the “complexity of the issue” and possible “Russian meddling”.
Not a single Swedish party intends to push the issue of holding a referendum before deciding on the country's NATO membership, daily newspaper 'Dagens Nyheter' reported after polling all eight parliamentary parties.
Thus what was considered to be consensus only months ago, has been completely abandoned. Even the national-conservative Sweden Democrats, which started off on an anti-NATO platform and until recently stuck to its demands for a referendum, changed its stance and considers it “overplayed”.

“Earlier, it was our reservation for a NATO membership, that it would be anchored in a referendum. That possibility no longer exists,” Sweden Democrat foreign policy spokesman Aron Emilsson told Dagens Nyheter.

The liberal-conservative Moderate Party, at present the largest opposition party, which has been pushing for NATO membership for years, said it would take too long to organise a referendum and stressed that they would like to join NATO outright together with Finland.
The party's foreign policy spokesman Hans Wallmark argued that the complexity of the issue is the main reason the Swedish people should trust representative democracy - ie, elected officials of the Swedish Parliament - to make a “wise decision”.
Wallmark also warned of the risks associated with “Russian election meddling”.

“One should not underestimate the Russians' nasty side, which they have shown proof of in other areas. It is an extremely important issue from a Russian perspective to try to prevent a Swedish NATO membership”, he told Dagens Nyheter.

Alleged “Russian influence” was also a fear invoked by the Greens. “There are great risks associated with it, such as disinformation campaigns and the like”, the Green Party's foreign policy spokeswoman Maria Ferm said.
The Left Party's defence policy spokeswoman, Hanna Gunnarsson, said the issue of holding a referendum had not been discussed since Russia's Ukraine campaign launched on 24 February to demilitarise and de-Nazify Kiev and protect the Donbass People's Republics.
Swedish troops prepare to conduct a perimiter patrol during Exercise Winter Sun in Boden, Sweden on 15th March 2018 - Sputnik International, 1920, 22.04.2022
Swedish NATO Support Reaches Record High as Gov't Promises Faster Membership Decision
Earlier this month, a majority of Swedes supported joining NATO in opinion polls for the first time in history, a trend mirrored in the corridors of power.
As of now, only the Greens and the Left are against NATO, with the ruling Social Democrats remaining undecided. However, judging by the change of tone among the country's leading politicians, Sweden is about to abandon its non-alignment security policy that has applied since the Second World War and, more broadly, for more than 200 years. The Swedish government is synchronising its actions with Finland, where the NATO debate has also intensified. Membership applications from the two countries may be submitted as early as the NATO summit at the end of June.
Sweden has held six referendums, the first being in 1922 - when the matter was the prohibition of alcoholic drinks - and the latest in 2003 to decide on adopting the euro. Other notable referendums include the 1980 one on nuclear power and the 1994 vote on EU membership.
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