Experts say that the expansion of the influence of far-right and nationalist parties leads to the fact that similar proposals make citizenship a matter of two categories and lead to the marginalization of certain communities. They add that there is a clear difference in whether a person has one citizenship or two, which creates different categories of citizens.
According to Professor of Sociology Christian Jobe from the University of Bern, "these changes partly date back to the early 21st century, when the government of Great Britain, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tony Blair, began to reconsider citizenship as a privilege, rather than a right." In recent years, governments across Europe have begun to strip citizenship from individuals convicted of terrorism, which has allowed them to understand how citizenship is linked to criminality.
In accordance with international law, governments cannot strip native citizens of their citizenship so that they do not become stateless individuals; therefore, proposals linking citizenship to terrorism significantly affect individuals with dual citizenship.
Former and current politicians recognized that they are working on the deprivation of citizenship of individuals with dual citizenship, convicted of specific offenses, which has sparked widespread discussion in global forums. However, there is no quality or quantitative data indicating that these changes affect individuals who previously aspired to criminal activity.
In this regard, the emergence of a "legal framework," ensuring a native anti-immigrant rhetoric that seeks to establish a connection between migration and criminality can make them vulnerable to extremist or criminal groups and hinder their identification for law enforcement agencies.
The most notable manifestation of this practice was the announcement of the Netherlands government several months ago about the possible deprivation of citizenship of individuals convicted of dangerous offenses with an "anti-Semitic tint." Such concepts were also actively discussed during the elections in Germany in February of this year, prompting widespread debate.
Proposals for the deprivation of citizenship for individuals with dual citizenship who committed specific offenses, which were highlighted in countries like Sweden, Finland, and Germany, reflect a more general mutation in the approach to foreigners and human rights, which has caused a stir on the global stage. Politicians are looking for ways to ensure their citizens in the present time.
As a result of in-depth research on cases of loss of citizenship of individuals for terror offenses, only a negligible number remained in limbo in countries that stripped them of their citizenship after their home countries denied their acceptance.
Experts note that the latest proposals to deprive citizenship of "naturalized citizens" for the commission of specific offenses, announced in countries like Sweden, Finland, and Germany, reflect a broader shift in the treatment of foreigners and human rights, triggering global discussions.
