Status
Italy has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
National position
Italy has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the TPNW and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”.
It supports the retention and potential use of nuclear weapons on its behalf, as indicated by its endorsem*nt of various alliance statements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), of which it is a member.
Nuclear weapons in Italy
Italy is one of five NATO members to host US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a nuclear-sharing agreement. The Italian air force is assigned approximately 35 B61 nuclear bombs, which are deployed at Aviano Air Base and Ghedi Air Base.
Political developments
In July 2023, the foreign affairs committee of Italy’s chamber of deputies adopted a resolution committing the government to continue its evaluation of the TPNW, in particular the treaty’s provisions on victim assistance environmental remediation, and to consider, in consultation with other NATO members, observing the second meeting of TPNW states parties.
The same committee had adopted a similar resolution in 2022 committing the government to “continue to assess ... possible measures to approach the contents of the TPNW” and consider participating in the first meeting of TPNW states parties (which it did not do).
In 2017, the Italian parliament adopted a resolution instructing the government “to explore the possibility” of becoming a state party to the TPNW “in a way compatible with [Italy’s] NATO obligations and with the positioning of allied states”.
The former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta and former foreign minister Franco Frattini signed an open letter in 2020 calling on current leaders to “show courage and boldness – and join the [TPNW]”.
Public opinion
A public opinion poll conducted by YouGov in 2020 found that 87 per cent of Italians believe that their country should join the TPNW, with just 5 per cent opposed to joining. Furthermore, 76 per cent believe that Italy should be among the first NATO states to join, even if it faced pressure from allies not to do so.
The poll also found that 74 per cent of Italians want US nuclear weapons to be removed from Italian territory – a requirement of the TPNW.
TPNW negotiations
Italy did not participate in the negotiation of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York in 2017 and thus did not vote on its adoption.
In 2016, Italy voted in favour of the UN General Assembly resolution that established the mandate for states to negotiate “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”. However, it subsequently informed the UN secretariat that it had intended to vote against it.
In a document sent to NATO members ahead of the vote, the United States “strongly encourage[d]” members, including Italy, to vote against the resolution, “not to merely abstain”. In addition, it said that, if the treaty negotiations do commence, allies and partners should “refrain from joining them”.
Further information
Nuclear-weapon host state
Hosts 35 US nuclear weapons
Has not yet joined the TPNW
[HIGHLIGHTS]
Status
Italy has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
National position
Italy has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the TPNW and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”.
It supports the retention and potential use of nuclear weapons on its behalf, as indicated by its endorsem*nt of various alliance statements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), of which it is a member.
Nuclear weapons in Italy
Italy is one of five NATO members to host US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a nuclear-sharing agreement. The Italian air force is assigned approximately 35 B61 nuclear bombs, which are deployed at Aviano Air Base and Ghedi Air Base.
Political developments
In July 2023, the foreign affairs committee of Italy’s chamber of deputies adopted a resolution committing the government to continue its evaluation of the TPNW, in particular the treaty’s provisions on victim assistance environmental remediation, and to consider, in consultation with other NATO members, observing the second meeting of TPNW states parties.
The same committee had adopted a similar resolution in 2022 committing the government to “continue to assess ... possible measures to approach the contents of the TPNW” and consider participating in the first meeting of TPNW states parties (which it did not do).
In 2017, the Italian parliament adopted a resolution instructing the government “to explore the possibility” of becoming a state party to the TPNW “in a way compatible with [Italy’s] NATO obligations and with the positioning of allied states”.
The former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta and former foreign minister Franco Frattini signed an open letter in 2020 calling on current leaders to “show courage and boldness – and join the [TPNW]”.
Public opinion
A public opinion poll conducted by YouGov in 2020 found that 87 per cent of Italians believe that their country should join the TPNW, with just 5 per cent opposed to joining. Furthermore, 76 per cent believe that Italy should be among the first NATO states to join, even if it faced pressure from allies not to do so.
The poll also found that 74 per cent of Italians want US nuclear weapons to be removed from Italian territory – a requirement of the TPNW.
TPNW negotiations
Italy did not participate in the negotiation of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York in 2017 and thus did not vote on its adoption.
In 2016, Italy voted in favour of the UN General Assembly resolution that established the mandate for states to negotiate “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”. However, it subsequently informed the UN secretariat that it had intended to vote against it.
In a document sent to NATO members ahead of the vote, the United States “strongly encourage[d]” members, including Italy, to vote against the resolution, “not to merely abstain”. In addition, it said that, if the treaty negotiations do commence, allies and partners should “refrain from joining them”.
Further information
[PARTNERS]
Associazione Italiana Medicina Per La Prevenzione Della Guerra Nucleare
Cormuse
Istituto di Ricerche Internazionali Archivio Disarmo
PeaceLink
Pressenza International Press Agency
Rete Italiana Pace e Disarmo
Senzatomica
WILPF Italia
World Foundation for Peace
Disarmisti esigenti (Demanding disarmists)
Pax Christi Italia
Mondo senza Guerre e senza Violenza - Argonauti per la Pace
Greenpeace Italy
[LOCALSUPPORT]
