Turkish Parliament Ratifies Sweden’s Application To Join NATO, Leaving Hungary As Only Holdout

Turkish lawmakers approved Sweden’s entry into North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Tuesday, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

The Turkish Parliament voted in favor of Sweden’s NATO accession with a decisive 287-55 vote and four abstentions, according to The AP. Following its imminent publication in the Official Gazette, the ratification will be formalized. With Turkey’s approval, Hungary remains the sole NATO member yet to ratify Sweden’s membership, the outlet reported.

The approval comes after Turkey’s prolonged hesitation, spanning over a year. The hesitation stemmed from allegations of Sweden’s lenient attitude towards groups Turkey deems as security threats, The AP noted. Ankara’s demands from Stockholm reportedly included a firmer approach to Kurdish militants and individuals linked to a group responsible for a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.