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A new YouGov poll commissioned by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) shows that a clear majority of people in Sweden support the country joining the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and oppose the deployment of nuclear weapons on Swedish territory.
The nationally representative survey, conducted in May 2026, found that 73% of respondents support Sweden joining the UN nuclear weapons ban treaty, while only 8% oppose membership. The findings also show that 65% oppose Sweden hosting nuclear weapons from another country, despite ongoing discussions about possible nuclear cooperation with France.
Key Findings
73% support
58% fully support
15% somewhat support
19% neither support nor oppose
Only 8% oppose joining
5% rather oppose
3% fully oppose
The survey also asked whether respondents would support another country deploying nuclear weapons in Sweden.
Results show strong public opposition:
65% oppose
49% fully oppose
16% rather oppose
19% neither support nor oppose
Only 15% support deployment
10% somewhat support
5% fully support
Swedish Public Opinion Continues to Reject Nuclear Weapons
The findings reinforce previous opinion polls showing long-standing public opposition to nuclear weapons in Sweden. Support for joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) remains consistently high, while most Swedes also reject the idea of allowing foreign nuclear weapons to be stationed on Swedish territory.
Melissa Parke, ICAN executive director responded to these polls results saying “The Swedish public has spoken clearly: nearly three in four support joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and almost two in three oppose hosting nuclear weapons. This poll shows that support for banning nuclear weapons is not a fringe view, it is the clear majority position in Sweden.”
The treaty entered into force in January 2021 and has now been signed or ratified by 100 countries. It comprehensively prohibits the development, testing, production, possession, transfer, use, and threat of use of nuclear weapons.
Debate Over Sweden and the French Nuclear Umbrella
The poll comes amid reports that the Swedish government has been holding discussions with France on possible nuclear cooperation. Although few official details have been released, analysts have suggested that Sweden's decision to purchase French-built frigates could be linked to discussions about extending protection under France's so-called nuclear umbrella. The public opinion survey indicates that these discussions may be at odds with the views of Swedish voters, the majority of whom oppose hosting nuclear weapons.
Josefin Lind, Secretary General of Swedish Physicians against Nuclear Weapons said “Sweden has opposed nuclear weapons for decades based on the indiscriminate harm they cause. With nuclear risks as high as they are, nuclear disarmament must become part of the next government’s foreign policy priorities again. Swedes want security without nuclear weapons, not nuclear weapons on Swedish territory.”
Political Parties Split on Nuclear Weapons Policy
The poll follows a separate survey conducted by Svenska Läkare mot Kärnvapen (Swedish Physicians Against Nuclear Weapons) ahead of Sweden's 13 September 2026 election.
That survey found that:
The Left Party is among the strongest supporters of joining the UN nuclear weapons ban treaty.
The Green Party also supports Sweden joining the treaty.
Both parties support legislation prohibiting nuclear weapons from being stationed on Swedish territory.
The Social Democrats and the Centre Party do not wish to permit the stationing or transit of nuclear weapons on Swedish territory in the event of war or conflict; they consider the existing agreement in the Riksdag to be sufficient and do not believe that legislation is necessary.
The Moderate Party, the Sweden Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Liberals are open to allowing temporary stationing of nuclear weapons on Swedish territory and do not wish to enact legislation against this.
About the poll
The public opinion poll was commissioned by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and conducted by YouGov in May 2026 using a nationally representative sample of Swedish adults.