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Are the views of Swedish political parties on nuclear deterrence guided by moral reasoning? Having abandoned a 200-year tradition of non-alignment, Sweden now faces the challenge of participating in NATO planning, where deterrence is a key component. This thesis proposes a moral framework for analysing political debates and elucidating whether there is a structured ethical foundation in the reasoning of the eight parties in the Swedish Parliament.

The study’s results indicate that the parties can be categorized into three main groups: those focused on the consequences, those focused on the motives, and those that require further development. Additionally, the study reveals that all political parties lack communication regarding the means of nuclear deterrence.

Primarily contributing an analytical framework, this thesis also highlights the significant work that needs to be undertaken to ensure morally grounded reasoning in the context of deliberating on nuclear deterrence.