European Parliament Nuclear Politics: The Debate within the No-Debate

Since the war in Ukraine erupted in February 2022, there has been a revival of nuclear politics where Europe has been confronted with the reality of living under a nuclear threat. Even though relevant international actors, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and different national leaders, have introduced the nuclear threat in their different national arenas by integrating it into their political agendas, the debate surrounding nuclear deterrence remains in the shadows. The potentiality of a nuclear threat and the controversy affecting discussions on nuclear deterrence in its different forms, including nuclear weapons, have been very limited in the European political context, particularly at the European Parliament (EP) level. This essay provides critical insights into the absence of significant political nuclear debate within the EP. It reflects on its implications for future nuclear deterrence policies in Europe. The research findings suggest that nuclear politics has emerged modestly in the EP since February 2022, revealing how nuclear politics at the European level remains attached to national competent authorities and other relevant authorities such as the NATO scheme rather than at the EP forum.