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Fifty years of Surinamese independence and the ongoing effects of the mass loss of Dutch citizenship

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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 …

Interim Syrian Government and the Legacy of Kurdish Statelessness – Finally Resolution and Justice?

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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 …

Citizenship as a Constitutional Status: Commission v Malta

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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 …