From Neutrality to NATO : An Idea Analysis of Swedish Editorials on NATO membership

Sweden deciding to join NATO marks a historical shift in the country’s foreign policy from neutrality to military alignment. While much focus has been placed on strategic and political events, it is less examined how ideas in media contributed to legitimizing this shift. This thesis therefore examines editorials expressed ideas on Swedish NATO membership following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February until Sweden’s official NATO application on the 18th of May 2022, using the combined theory and methodology Idea Analysis. This thesis examines editorials from Sweden’s four most-read general newspapers: Expressen, Aftonbladet, DN and Svenska Dagbladet, to map out the ideas and ideological patterns expressed in the debate. The analysis reveals a convergence towards realist ideas, centered around national security and self-determination. Although, idealist arguments regarding democratic values are also present in the debate, especially before Finland signaled its own application. These findings highlight media’s role in actively shaping opinion in a period of geopolitical uncertainty. It contributes to an understanding of how editorials act as anideological actors is in foreign policy shifts.