By Dominic Chopping

STOCKHOLM--Sweden has formally decided to apply for NATO membership, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said Monday at a press conference alongside opposition leader Ulf Kristersson.

Ms. Andersson led a special party leader debate on potential membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Monday, receiving broad support from parties on both sides of the political divide.

"After the debate, the government of Sweden formally decided to apply for NATO membership," she said.

"The government also introduced a bill with proposals, that if passed, will enable us to receive military support from all NATO EU member countries in a posssible crisis."

Sweden has previously expressed concern about its security during an application process, a period when it wouldn't be covered by NATO's collective defensive treaty that says an attack against one member will see a response from all members.

Before membership is granted and NATO's security guarantee is applied in full, the application must receive approval from the parliaments of all 30 NATO countries.

Sweden is due to hold a general election in September and Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson noted that the application is about to be sent in the early stages of an election campaign and will be processed during an unknown election result.

"The prime minister and I, we disagree on many imporatnt things...but on this topic we stand absolutely united. NATO is above party politics," Mr. Kristersson said.

Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 16, 2022 10:09 ET (14:09 GMT)