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Sweden Ruling Party SPLIT On NATO Membership Bid
The women's faction of Sweden's ruling Social Democrats reportedly wants the country to maintain its two-century long policy of military neutrality and stay out of NATO, according to local media outlet Svenska Dagbladet citing Climate & Environment Minister Annika Strandhall.
Her comments are the first major political pushback against Sweden's possible NATO membership, and come a week before Sweden's security policy assessment is due out, with the coalition govt set to decide on the issue by May 24 after Foreign Ministry position paper is issued.
PM Magdalena Andersson has said a referendum won't be used if the Riksdag approves the bid. According to recent polls 51% of Swedes want to join, significantly higher than before the conflict with Ukraine - which Pope Francis said Tuesday could have been sparked by "the barking of NATO at Russia’s door”.
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