Lithuanian Seimas approves lifting constitutional ban on nuclear weapons in first reading

The Lithuanian parliament has taken the first step toward amending the country's constitution in the defense sphere. Lawmakers supported in the first reading a bill that removes restrictions on the deployment of foreign military contingents and weapons of mass destruction.

Key details of the decision:

▪️ The initiative was supported by 106 parliamentarians, 18 voted against, and 6 abstained. During preliminary discussions in September, the document received 99 votes.

▪️ The proposal calls for the complete removal of Article 137 from the Constitution. Since 1992, this provision has legally prohibited the presence of military bases of other states and nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons on Lithuanian territory.

▪️ According to Parliament Speaker Vydas Gedvilas, the final vote on the constitutional amendments is scheduled for January 12, 2027.

If the bill is ultimately approved, Lithuania will remove internal legal barriers to the potential deployment of permanent strategic facilities and defense arsenals of NATO allies.