Finland Parliament Lifts Nuclear Weapons Ban

Finland's parliament voted on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, to lift a decades-long national ban on nuclear weapons, a significant policy shift aligning the country with NATO's nuclear deterrence framework. The legislation passed with 125 votes in favor and 61 against, with 13 members absent. It now awaits approval from the president.

The decision repeals provisions in Finland's 1987 Nuclear Energy Act and amends the criminal code, removing the total prohibition on the import, production, possession, and detonation of nuclear explosives. The new law will permit nuclear weapons to be brought, transported, supplied, or possessed in Finland when required for the country's military defense.

Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen stated the move strengthens Finland's defense and enables the full use of NATO's nuclear deterrent for protection. He clarified that the amendment does not entail the immediate deployment of nuclear weapons on Finnish soil in peacetime, describing it instead as a measure for deterrence.

The vote concludes months of domestic debate, with opposition parties criticizing the departure from Finland's longstanding anti-nuclear stance. The policy change follows Finland's...