On February 26, 2024, Hungary’s National Assembly voted 188 to 6 to ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO. Hungary was the last of the alliance’s members to approve, so the vote cleared the final obstacle to Sweden’s membership.
Sweden had applied in May 2022, together with Finland, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Hungarian government sent the accession protocol to parliament in July 2022, but it stalled for more than 18 months. The government cited criticism of Hungarian democracy by Swedish politicians as the reason for lawmakers’ reluctance.
Hungary has been a NATO member since 1999. Its vote mattered because new members need the unanimous approval of all existing members. AHF has long supported Hungary’s place in the transatlantic alliance.