No new citizens in Denmark as coronavirus halts Danish naturalizations
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The government in Denmark has asked mayors to suspend naturalization ceremonies, which since a law passed in 2018 require a mandatory handshake.
In Denmark, which has reported 23 cases, it now means that hundreds of people about to become Danish citizens will have to wait until shaking hands is deemed safe again.
The handshake requirement, which was adopted by conservative Danish lawmakers and those from the populist Danish People’s Party in 2018, was widely criticized by opponents as an anti-immigration measure targeting those who might refuse to touch members of the opposite sex because of religious beliefs, especially Muslims.
It was not clear how long the suspension would be in place or if all local mayors would follow the recommendation.
“Of course, this is a sad situation for those who now have to wait to become Danish citizens,” Mattias Tesfaye, the country’s immigration and integration minister, said in a statement. “But we take the health authorities’ recommendation seriously. In this situation, we as a society must show unity to limit the spread of infection.”
Local officials in Denmark hold at least two naturalization ceremonies each year, the conclusion of a lengthy process for thousands of people in which the requirements include having residence for up to nine years, passing tests on the Danish language, politics, history and society, and being financially self-sufficient.
