Policy|Security policy
The parliamentary debate that begins today will enable Parliament to form a position on NATO membership. At the same time, it commits Parliament to a decision, the consequences of which must be lived for years and decades.
Today On Wednesday, a process will begin in Parliament that will lead to Finland’s NATO membership – unless miracles happen.
Parliament will officially hold a plenary session starting at 2 pm to discuss the Government’s current report on the change in the security environment. HS shows it live and follows it moment by moment.
There are also three citizens’ initiatives in the referendum debate. One of them is driving Finland to NATO, another is hoping for a referendum on membership and a third is hoping to break the ban on anti-personnel landmines.
In practice, the parliamentary debate that begins today will enable Parliament to form a position on NATO membership. At the same time, it commits Parliament to a decision, the consequences of which must be lived for years and decades.
As a basis for reflection, the government submitted to Parliament last week report, which does not take a direct position on NATO membership. However, it presents it in a rather positive light. The report states Among other things, Finland’s and Sweden’s membership of NATO would increase the long-term stability of the Baltic Sea region.
In addition to foreign and security policy, the report covers, among other things, security of supply, cyber security and hybrid impact.
Read more: Here is a summary of the key issues in the report
Read more: The MP hopes that the NATO issue will really be informed – “It may not always be felt that we know terribly more than what is in the press.”
If Finland decides to apply for a military alliance, the initiative must come from the president and the government. They lead Finland’s foreign policy.
President Sauli Niinistö and the Prime Minister Sanna Marin (sd) have not yet stated their position on NATO. According to HS data However, Finland is very likely to apply for NATO in the near future, if something completely surprising does not happen.
Strictly speaking NATO is not being sought, but the military alliance invites its members. Finland therefore expresses to NATO its desire to become an invited member. In principle, the state leadership can at any time outline that Finland is now ready to express its willingness.
Parliamentary however, one must stand behind this willingness – even over elections.
Marin Has saidthat the widest possible consensus on foreign and security policy issues would be important, but full unanimity in democracy cannot be hoped for.
Membership of the military alliance is a far-reaching and historic decision: as a member, Finland will have security, but it must also be prepared to help other member states militarily if necessary. There are also risks in the decision.
Read more: According to HS, it is very likely that a NATO application will be filed in the near future
Read more: Finland is preparing for a historic decision: What risks could be associated with NATO membership?
Membership in the military alliance is finally approved by Parliament. NATO must also be able to rely on the broad support of the people for membership.
President Sauli Niinistö described In an interview with Iltalehti at the beginning of April, a “death kiss” attempt to push for NATO membership “without knowing that one’s own boat will hold”, i.e. whether there will be enough support in Parliament in the end.
Already, more than half of MPs have expressed support for NATO membership. For the time being, it is unclear whether a two-thirds majority is needed for final approval or whether more than half is enough. This will ultimately be decided Committee on Constitutional Affairs.
Read more: 109 MPs now support NATO membership, 12 oppose – Here are the views of all MPs at the moment
Read more: Is Finland hitting NATO? Now the answer is clear: it is no longer necessary to peek between the lines, because the state leadership already says it on the lines.
On Wednesday the parliamentary debate that will begin will enable the debate and the knowledge of parliamentarians to be deepened.
Speaker Matti Vanhanen (center) photographed Yle in an interview Earlier in April, it was important for different opinions to emerge. Several opponents of NATO membership have been in recent months have been of the opinionthat it will be difficult for them to express their views once public opinion turns historically fast to NATO.
“It’s good to have a varied discussion. It binds [ratkaisuun] also in a healthy way, when all aspects have been taken into account, ”Vanhanen said Ylelle.
At the end of the referral discussion, the report will be sent to the parliamentary committees for consideration. In them, MPs can hear experts behind closed doors. This will allow them to gain more in-depth information than in public.
Committee proceedings lasts several weeks.
However, there is no need to wait for it to be completed if the state leadership wants to act faster.
The Government may at any time submit a second report to Parliament setting out an application for a military alliance. It can be dealt with very quickly in Parliament – especially if the first report had already come a long way.
There are other options as well:
The state leadership could, in principle, decide to apply for NATO membership and bring the newly negotiated membership treaty to parliament for ratification. Or the Foreign Affairs Committee, which is reporting on the first report, could apply to NATO, in which case Parliament could take a position on this.
However, there are these ways forward considered less likely: in the first case, one would walk over the parliament and in the second case the initiative would not come from the president and the government, as is customary in foreign policy.
President Niinistö estimates In an interview with HS last week that Finland’s NATO decision will be made before the summer. He also anticipates that NATO, as an organization, would approve quite quickly, in about a week.
However, Finland’s accession must be approved, ie ratified, by all 30 NATO member states. According to the report, this could take 4 to 12 months.
Once everyone has ratified it, Parliament has yet to approve the accession treaty. At this stage, it is possible that Finland already has a new parliament and government.
“However, the intention is that whatever is decided now will also be adhered to,” Niinistö told HS.
Read more: President Niinistö: Finland’s NATO decision will be made before the summer – hopes that Parliament will discuss the report promptly
Read more: Finland will hardly be given real security guarantees during the NATO process – even hefty help can still come
Read more: The NATO process could be lightning fast – the Finnish state leadership does not want to act for such a valid reason
#Security #policy #NATO #debate #begins #Parliament #today #lead #farreaching #historic #decision #membership
