Sweden to decide on constitutional changes to appease Türkiye

Swedish MPs will vote next week on changes to the constitution that were put forward by the government to alleviate Türkiye’s objections to Stockholm’s bid to join NATO, the country’s parliament, the Riksdag, has said.

The proposed changes would make it possible to strengthen the counter-terrorism laws, including limiting the “freedom of association of groups involved in terrorism,” the parliament said in a statement on Tuesday.
The vote is scheduled to take place on November 16. The changes, if approved, will enter into force on January 1, 2023.

The amendments were proposed under the previous left-wing government, and the Riksdag has already voted in favor of them. But in order to be implemented, they also need the approval of the new parliament, which was formed after the general election in September. The vote propelled the conservatives to power, with Ulf Kristersson becoming prime minister, but the amendments are still expected to be passed. So far, only the Left Party, which has 24 seats out of 349 in parliament, has objected to the proposed changes.