Hungary’s parliament votes to ratify Sweden’s application to join Nato

Photographers take pictures as Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, centre right, stands at a parliament session (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Hungary’s parliament voted on Monday to ratify Sweden’s bid to join Nato, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The vote, which passed with 188 votes for and six against, came as a culmination of months of wrangling by Hungary’s allies to convince its nationalist government to lift its block on Sweden’s membership.