Security policy The NATO decision can be discussed in Parliament at the earliest on May 16, says Matti Vanhanen

Policy|Security policy

Parliamentary speaker Matti Vanhanen (Central) estimates that the decision on applying for NATO membership on Monday, May 16, could be considered by Parliament as soon as possible.

The timetable depends on the exact timetable of the government and, for example, how much MPs are willing to speak when the issue is debated in plenary.

“Perhaps the most natural early could be Monday then [16.5.] within, ”says Vanhanen.

“Then there is no need to think about tp-utva, the government and parliament meeting as if about every hour to discuss.”

President Sauli Niinistö said In an interview with Ilta-Sanomat on Saturday that he plans to state his position on NATO membership on Thursday, May 12th.

Niinistö’s position is not known, but all indications are that it is in favor of applying for membership.

At least some of the parliamentary groups may discuss the matter on that same Thursday, Vanhanen estimates.

“It will at least give them a chance to take a stand on it.”

However, no unified exit of the parliamentary parties is expected at that time, Vanhanen says.

Parliament to take a formal position on the NATO issue if and after the matter has been discussed by the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy and the government has submitted a proposal to Parliament to apply for NATO membership.

The presentation has been intended as either a report or a communication.

The format of the presentation is not yet completely clear. The approach differs in that the communication is accompanied by a vote of confidence in the government.

“I personally recommend the report. It is clearer. In it, every representative without a government opposition will express their position. There is no need to comment on the existence of the government, ”says Vanhanen.

If necessary, Parliament will be able to convene to discuss the NATO issue on 14-15 May. on the weekend and on Monday, May 16, when there is normally no session.

“Those days are used if necessary,” Vanhanen says.

Old man emphasizes that the timetable cannot be fully known in advance, as it is possible that the debate in plenary will be lengthy.

“If all two hundred representatives want to use the five-minute or ten-minute speeches, and if there is still a little delay among them, then it will be a long debate.”

In that case, he said, it was necessary to consider whether to speak overnight or to deal with the matter in such a way that all representatives were allowed to speak at roughly normal times.

If the proposal is a report, it will normally also be discussed in committee. This process can be very quick, because, in fact, the NATO issue itself has already been addressed in the context of the first so-called topical report.

This report is currently being considered by Parliament and experts are being consulted.

Vanhanen estimates that both reports could finally be processed at the same time and at their earliest, as said on Monday, the 16th.

“This is how it is. This is with the proviso, unless there is a very special need at the head of the president and the government. ”

Prime Minister’s Party the Social Democrats are due to outline their own NATO position on Saturday, May 14th. At that time, meetings of the party government and the parliamentary group were to be held first, and finally an extraordinary meeting of the party council.

Chairman of the SDP parliamentary group Antti Lindtman does not yet take a position on whether the party’s parliamentary group intends to discuss the matter as early as Thursday, May 12, when President Niinistö’s position becomes known.

“The exact time when our group will form the NATO position has not yet been finally decided. Above all, the timing is affected by what is best possible from the perspective of the state leadership and Finland’s security, ”says Lindtman.

Sdp party secretary Antton Rönnholm says the party has no plans to bring forward the 14th meeting.

Prime minister Sanna Marin (sd) has stated that he intends to state his position before the 14th party council meeting.

Sdp and the Left Alliance are the last of the parties that have not yet made their official policy.

The Left Alliance has the most negative views of NATO. On May 7, the party will decide whether Finland’s possible NATO membership is a government issue for the party.

According to the HS monitoring, a fair majority of MPs in Parliament are in favor of NATO membership.

Read more: 119 MPs now support NATO membership, 11 oppose – Here are the views of all MPs at the moment