Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorised a proposal to apply for membership of the NATO military alliance in a historic policy shift prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Sauli Niinisto and the federal government decided officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the resolution was pending parliament's approval.

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight against the application, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

Register

Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto said the decision was no cause to rejoice as a result of "there's war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our basic pondering that we are going to always search peaceful solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that may firstly seek diplomatic solutions to every battle," he said in the course of the debate.

Opponents to the application included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, part of Finland's five-party coalition, amongst them Markus Mustajarvi who challenged the choice with a counter proposal leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would turn into the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a threat only throughout the utility process however relatively a new and everlasting situation of our overseas and safety policy," he stated.

Early on Tuesday, the foreign affairs committee determined to join the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic country ought to apply for membership.

"Having heard a really massive number of experts and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This resolution is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho informed reporters.

Register

Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Editing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.