Sweden's ruling Social Democrats said Monday the party would announce on May 15 its position on whether the country should apply for NATO membership.

A decision in favour of joining would in all likelihood pave the way for Sweden to submit a membership bid.

"The party will announce its position on May 15," which would be Sunday, party spokeswoman Julia Grabe told AFP.

If the Social Democrats support joining, there would be a clear parliamentary majority for an application, especially if neighbouring Finland -- where a decision is also expected in the coming days -- were to apply for membership of the US-led military alliance.

Sweden and Finland have been militarily non-aligned for decades, but public opinion in both countries has shifted following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with support for membership soaring, according to polls.

Sweden's centre-left Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, has historically opposed NATO membership, and even reaffirmed this stance at the last party congress in November.

But the conflict in Ukraine has reignited debate in the country and within the party.

Finland's Social Democrats, which are also the ruling party, are expected to announce their position on May 14.

A Swedish parliamentary security policy review, conducted by all parties in parliament, is also due to be presented on May 13.

Both Sweden and Finland have close ties with the alliance, joining the Partnership for Peace Program in 1994 and regularly taking part in exercises with NATO countries and NATO-led peacekeeping missions.

Overwhelming support for NATO bid among Finns: poll
Helsinki (AFP) May 9, 2022 - More than three quarters of people in Finland now support joining NATO, a new poll showed Monday, after opinion on the military alliance flipped following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Support for NATO membership used to be steady at 20-30 percent but has soared in Finland, as well as neighbouring Sweden -- both historically militarily non-aligned -- in recent months.

Around 76 percent of Finns now want the country to join NATO, up from 60 percent in March, according to the poll commissioned by broadcaster YLE and conducted by research firm Taloustutkimus.

The survey also showed a majority in favour no matter the party alignment.

A separate poll last week showed most lawmakers in favour of joining, with 121 of the 200 MPs in favour and only 10 opposed.

Finland and Sweden have inched closer to the alliance, and are mulling a possible joint bid to better protect themselves from their neighbour, Russia.

There is widespread support for welcoming the countries into NATO, according to the alliance, but their membership needs to be ratified by the parliaments of all 30 current member states.

Only full members of NATO formally enjoy the protection of collective defence under Article 5 of the alliance's charter, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is due to announce his personal stance on a bid for NATO membership on May 12.

Many analysts speculate the countries will decide soon on any application so that they can be submitted before a NATO summit in June.

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