The French Parliament ratified, Tuesday, August 2, the accession protocols of Sweden and Finland to NATO, by a vote of the National Assembly. As the senators had done last week, the deputies adopted the text by 209 votes against 46 with the support of the Republicans (LR), the Socialist Party (PS) and the ecologists (EELV). The National Rally (RN), for its part, abstained, while La France insoumise (LFI) voted against.
France joins “twenty allies” who “have already ratified the protocols”, welcomed the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna. Sweden and Finland, however, need a ratification of the thirty member states of the organization to benefit from the protection of Article 5 of the NATO Charter in the event of an attack. And Turkey threatens to ” freeze “ the process, accusing the two Scandinavian countries of benevolence towards the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its allies that Ankara considers terrorist organizations.
Mme Colonna highlighted the “historic and major decision” Sweden and Finland including “neutrality was until now a cardinal principle”. This “turning” comes from “upheaval of our geopolitical landmarks” with the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the use of a ” Powerful “ at “brute force” with a “incredible violence”of the “exactions, rapes, assassinations and deportations”, castigated the head of French diplomacy. With NATO he “It’s about collective defense” and “in no way to be offensive”she recalled.
A “dangerous process” according to La France insoumise
The French Minister for the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, said on Twitter what’“The accession of these two European partners will contribute to strengthening the deterrent posture of the Atlantic Alliance, as well as European security. »
“For NATO, it’s time to wake up” after “brain death” described by Emmanuel Macron, said the centrist chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Jean-Louis Bourlanges (MoDem).
The “rebellious” Aurélien Saintoul denounced a “dangerous process” with the “NATO overlay” and the European Union. On the far right, Laurent Jacobelli (RN) criticized “a signal of defiance to Russia”with this accession process, by presenting NATO as a “commercial showcase of the military-industrial complex” the United States.
The LR right supported this membership ” legit “ of “partners” who “regularly contribute to NATO operations”. But “the fact that the Europe of defense is not a sufficient guarantee of protection must challenge us”underlined Michèle Tabarot (LR).
Socialist Alain David judged that the geopolitical context made this membership of NATO ” necessary “. He criticized “the odious blackmail of Turkey” on the subject, about the Kurds.