Quote from the Python 3 Reference:
The nonlocal statement causes the listed identifiers to refer to previously bound variables in the nearest enclosing scope excluding globals.
As said in the reference, in case of several nested functions only variable in the nearest enclosing function is modified:
def outer():
def inner():
def innermost():
nonlocal x
x = 3
x = 2
innermost()
if x == 3: print('Inner x has been modified')
x = 1
inner()
if x == 3: print('Outer x has been modified')
x = 0
outer()
if x == 3: print('Global x has been modified')
# Inner x has been modified
The "nearest" variable can be several levels away:
def outer():
def inner():
def innermost():
nonlocal x
x = 3
innermost()
x = 1
inner()
if x == 3: print('Outer x has been modified')
x = 0
outer()
if x == 3: print('Global x has been modified')
# Outer x has been modified
But it cannot be a global variable:
def outer():
def inner():
def innermost():
nonlocal x
x = 3
innermost()
inner()
x = 0
outer()
if x == 3: print('Global x has been modified')
# SyntaxError: no binding for nonlocal 'x' found