Warning Issued by Hiroshima: Curb Nuclear Folly
In the heart of Europe, the Left Party is making waves with its strong stance against nuclear weapons. Chair Ines Schwerdtner has been vocal about her views, stating that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were war crimes.
On this sombre anniversary, Schwerdtner reiterated her party's stance, calling for Germany to sign the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The TPNW, adopted by 122 UN member states in 2017 and in force since January 2021, aims to abolish nuclear weapons globally. However, Germany, as a NATO-aligned EU member state, has not joined the treaty, citing concerns that it undermines the nuclear deterrence strategies essential to NATO's collective security framework.
The division within the EU is clear. While non-NATO members such as Austria and Ireland support the TPNW and nuclear disarmament based on legal, moral, and humanitarian grounds, NATO members rely on the U.S.-backed nuclear deterrent and view the treaty as incompatible with their security doctrines. As of mid-2025, Germany remains committed to NATO's nuclear deterrence policy and has neither signed nor ratified the TPNW.
The Left Party, however, is advocating for a different path. They are against nuclear sharing and seek a nuclear-free Europe. They urge the federal government to commit to a policy of balance, disarmament, and social justice across borders. The party also advocates for a policy of de-escalation and civilian conflict resolution, emphasising a peaceful alternative to the escalating bloc confrontation.
The Left Party's stance is not just a reaction to current events. It is rooted in history. On August 6, 1945, the U.S. Army dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, causing an estimated 100,000 immediate deaths, and three days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, resulting in another 100,000 immediate deaths. By the end of 1945, the combined death toll from both cities reached around 230,000. Many more died from thirst, burns, and radiation in the following months and years.
The Left Party's call for Germany to sign the TPNW is a call for a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons. They are leading the charge for a nuclear-free Europe, advocating for the removal of nuclear weapons from German soil and urging the federal government to reconsider its stance on the TPNW.
As NATO modernises its nuclear arsenals, the Left Party's voice is more important than ever. They are the only party in the Bundestag that clearly opposes nuclear armament, standing firm in their belief that a peaceful resolution to conflicts is possible, and that the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki should never be repeated.
- The Left Party, rooted in history after the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is urging Germany to sign the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), advocating for a nuclear-free Europe and peacefully resolving conflicts.
- As NATO modernizes its nuclear arsenals, the Left Party, the only party in the Bundestag that opposes nuclear armament and believes in peaceful conflict resolution, is leading the charge for a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.
