Madeline-Sophie Abbas (Lancaster University) Background: Al-Hol camp The abrupt and uncoordinated closure of al-Hol camp on 22 February 2026 has reignited debates concerning the repatriation of those who travelled to Islamic State territory hoping to be returned to their country Read More …
In 1975 hundreds of thousands of Dutch citizens involuntarily lost their citizenship overnight. They were assigned the citizenship of the newly independent Suriname. This blog sheds light on the law effectuating this mass-denationalization, which is still in effect today, and considers the potential impact of contemporary national and European legal norms on its contemporary application. Read More …
With hundreds of thousands of Syrian Kurds having been deprived of citizenship since the 1960s, recent acknowledgement of their suffering by the current Syrian authorities is welcome. The context in which this took place, however, has left many Kurds feeling conflicted and critical about the unprecedented initiative. Situating historic experiences of statelessness and their continued legacy within a transitional justice framework in any meaningful way will require concerted, good-faith trust-building with this long-marginalised constituency. Read More …
This post discusses New Zealand’s Waitangi Tribunal’s inquiry into whether the restriction of transmission of citizenship by descent to one generation, contained in the New Zealand Citizenship Act 1977, breaches the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. Read More …
This blog post discusses the ongoing restrictive changes to naturalisation policy in Finland. It links these policy changes to domestic and regional political dynamics, both of which involve the radical right as a driving force behind citizenship reform. Read More …
Hannah Segers (University of Vienna) In an increasingly interconnected world, migration continues to transform societies, economies, and political landscapes. With around 300 million people living outside their countries of citizenship, the question of political inclusion has become more relevant than ever. Read More …
In 2024, Benin adopted a law offering people of African descent the opportunity to acquire nationality ‘by recognition’. In this blog post, Eric Codjo Montcho Agbassa and Renaud Fiacre Avlessi discuss the context of the law, its key provisions, and legal consequences, as well as its appeal to potential applicants. Read More …
This post analyses the Hungarian procedure of citizenship suspension introduced in June 2025 based on the 15th amendment of the Fundamental Law. It aims to problematise citizenship suspension as a legal instrument weaponised by an illiberal democracy and to contribute to academic debate on the securitisation of citizenship. Read More …
The Court of Justice of the EU’s judgment in Commission v Malta raises many issues. Three points in particular will be addressed. Firstly, the integration of Union citizenship into the ongoing transformational constitutional jurisprudence. Secondly, the role of mutual recognition and mutual trust in the judgment. Thirdly, the meaning and significance of the ‘special relationship of solidarity and good faith’ requirement. Finally, a reflection is offered on the legitimacy of the reasoning of the Court. Read More …
This post critically evaluates the decision of the EU Court of Justice in Commission v Malta, in which it decided that the Citizenship by Investment scheme of Malta is contrary to EU law. The blog post argues that the expansionary reading of EU citizenship in the case lacks substantive legal justification. Read More …
