Sweden's government does not plan to hold a referendum if its parliament decides to proceed with an application for NATO membership, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Friday.
Andersson said that a referendum was a "bad idea". "I don't think it is an issue that is suitable for a referendum," she told reporters. "There is a lot of information about national security that is confidential, so there are important issues in such a referendum that cannot be discussed and important facts that cannot be put on the table."
Sweden's parliament is reviewing security policy with a report expected in mid-May. Separately, Andersson's own party, the Social Democrats, are looking at whether to drop their objections to NATO membership. read more
With a majority in parliament backing membership, the ruling Social Democrats are seen as the biggest hurdle to Sweden applying to join the 30-nation alliance.
The leader of the Moderates, the biggest opposition party, has also rejected calls for a referendum on the issue.
Dadgostar, whose party opposes NATO membership, told Aftonbladet that Swedes should get a say in the decision. "This .. has to go back to the voters, there has to be very strong democratic support in this question," she said.
Sweden holds a general election in September.
