What happened
Lithuania's parliament has taken the first step to remove a constitutional ban on nuclear weapons, with 106 votes in favor. The ban, which is outlined in Article 137 of the Constitution, prohibits weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on Lithuanian territory.
The change is not yet final, as lawmakers must vote twice, with at least three months between votes, and the proposal must receive at least 94 votes in favor in each ballot. Supporters of the change argue that it would allow Lithuania to participate more fully in NATO's nuclear deterrence arrangements.
Conservative Homeland Union leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas stated that the current constitutional restrictions prevent Lithuania from participating fully in NATO's nuclear deterrence plans. He noted that neighboring countries, such as Estonia, Latvia, Finland, and Poland, do not have the same constitutional prohibition.
Opposition to the amendment was concentrated among lawmakers from the opposition Nemunas Dawn party, who questioned whether parliament should make such a consequential change without a public vote. Some lawmakers proposed a narrower solution or argued that the issue should be decided by referendum.
Removing the constitutional prohibition would eliminate one legal barrier to participation in NATO's nuclear deterrence plans, but it would not automatically lead to the deployment of nuclear weapons in Lithuania. Any future decisions on deploying such capabilities would require separate legislation.
