STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's Social Democrat minority government on Monday took the formal decision to apply for NATO membership, following in the footsteps of its neighbour Finland in a move that will redraw the geopolitical map of northern Europe.

       "There is a broad majority in Sweden's parliament for joining NATO," Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said following a debate on security policy in parliament. "The best thing for Sweden and the Swedish population is to join NATO."

       Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which it calls a "special operation", has highlighted Sweden and Finland's vulnerabilities despite their close cooperation with NATO in recent years.

       (Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Simon Johnson; editing by Niklas Pollard)