Finland moved a big step closer to full participation in the European Union this Thursday, after almost a year of back-and-forth. The final obstacle to joining the bloc was cleared when Turkey’s parliament approved Finland’s accession to NATO, ending months of delays and votes looming over the alliance’s future makeup.
All NATO members must approve any new member, and until this week only two legislatures stood in the way: Hungary and Türkiye. Hungary’s parliament gave its consent on Monday, clearing the way for Finland to join. Türkiye’s approval arrived this Thursday, sealing Finland’s status as NATO’s 31st member. Sweden, which began its process alongside Finland, now faces a longer wait as it proceeds through its own approval path.
In the public discourse within Türkiye, officials argued that some European states back groups that threaten Türkiye’s security. They stressed that any steps toward Finland’s and Sweden’s membership must align with Türkiye’s security expectations. A Turkish official noted that Finland has shown concrete compliance with agreed terms, while expressing concerns about Sweden not meeting all anticipated conditions.
The situation with Sweden has become more contentious. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described Sweden in recent years as a potential shelter for terrorist elements and a risk to Turkish national security, citing concerns about exiles and European sympathizers. The Turkish stance reflects a broader dispute that last decade has seen Ankara and the European Union, along with the United States, view certain groups as terrorist organizations. Yet Türkiye’s position signals that cooperation and verified progress remain central to the alliance’s expansion plans.
conflicts and choices
During negotiations, Erdogan announced that Türkiye had delivered a list of concerns, including 124 individuals who were to be extradited from Sweden. Swedish authorities opposed deportations on the grounds that due process and fair trials could not be guaranteed if individuals were sent to Türkiye. This divergence highlighted the friction between security guarantees and judicial safeguards in the accession process.
Analysts caution that the Turkish Parliament may not vote on Sweden’s accession until after upcoming elections. Hungary’s parliament had already delayed its decision, and Stockholm has indicated it will await the outcome of elections in Türkiye before expecting a clear resolution. Political observers note that Erdogan’s stance serves as a show of strength amid a challenging domestic political phase, with opinion polls suggesting a tough race ahead for the Turkish leadership. The main opposition candidate, Kilicdaroglu, leads in popular surveys, adding a layer of domestic political calculation to foreign policy moves.
Türkiye has reiterated that it seeks concrete steps on counterterrorism and the return of individuals listed as terrorists. While Swedish officials have emphasized cooperation and the importance of due process, Ankara’s insistence on assurances and concrete actions remains a central element of its negotiations with Sweden and Finland. The Finnish prime minister and the Turkish president recently reaffirmed the importance of practical steps in dialogue, underscoring that security commitments must accompany any path toward broader European integration.