INDEKS <<

Danes Abroad join fight for dual citizenship

90.5% of the European population have the possibility today to acquire citizenship within their new home country without being forced to give up their original citizenship.

Only 9 out of 46 European nations do not allow dual citizenship and only 6 out of 27 EU-countries do not allow dual citizenship.

The youngest nations to have joined the dual citizenship law were Sweden in 2002, Iceland and Finland in 2003 and Germany just last year in 2007.

The 28th of May the Danish parliament will be holding a hearing concerning dual citizenship.
The hearing has been called into life due to a suggestion about a change in the Danish law concerning dual citizenship by the 'Ny Alliance' party on the 1st of April 2008.

To this date Denmark does not allow dual citizenship.

The non-profit grassroots movement www.statsborger.dk has been collecting over 11.600 signatures in favour for the ability to gain dual citizenship at www.dobbelt-statsborgerskab.skrivunder.dk.

Most signatures coming from Danes living outside Denmark but also a large amount from Danes living in Denmark who support dual citizenship.

Within a globalized society where people are prone to migrate and move across borders and where partnerships and marriages have become quite international the possibility to gain a dual citizenship is the natural order of things.

Denmark not allowing dual citizenship for those living outside the borders of the country, have turned Danish countrymen and women into 'half persons' within their new home countries:
Citizens without the right to vote and with limited juridical security.

Immigrants within Denmark are also suffering the same kind of state of the 'half citizens' in Denmark.

A complete integration - for Danish citizens outside of Denmark, and immigrated persons within Denmark- demand citizens' rights that only a dual citizenship can give them.

Especially the need for integration was a key point for Sweden in 2003 when that country passed a law that allows dual citizenship.

www.statsborger.dk has been representing this case at the Danish parliament on May 15th.

www.statsborger.dk is open for your questions and concerns around this topic at the following contacts:

Tina Thuesen - Danish citizen living in Switzerland
– thuesen@swissonline.ch - +41 79 635 4816
(German and English speaking)

Charlotte Sylvestersen – Danish citizen living in Italy
– info@italy.dk - +39 348 32 35 269
(Italian and English speaking)