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Dual nationality under Labour fireTuesday 23 December 2008 Immigrants should give up their original nationality if they become Dutch, Labour party chairwoman Lilianne Ploumen says in an interview with Tuesday’s Volkskrant. ‘To me loyalty has nothing to do with nationality. But the country of origin must lose its grip. To become Dutch you must, in principle, give up your old nationality,’ Ploumen said. Earlier this month, the national statistics office CBS said the Netherlands has over a million people with dual nationality. Ploumen’s apparent rejection of dual nationality goes against her party’s stand until now. One Labour junior minister and the new Labour mayor of Rotterdam both have dual nationality. Party divisions The Volkskrant interview coincides with the publication of a Labour party policy document on integration written by Ploumen entitled Divided Pasts, Shared Futures. In the document, Ploumen says the Labour party has been too tolerant towards immigrants for too long. ‘The one mistake we must never make again is to swallow criticism of cultures or religions in the name of tolerance,’ the paper quotes her as saying. Newcomers to the Netherlands must choose to join Dutch society. The job of the government is to defend the state of law, tackle misunderstandings and generate opportunities through high-value education, good social services and an active labour market policy, Ploumen said. Dutch standards Local politicians who have to deal with actual problems – such as the refusal of some people to shake hands – will have three choices: to tackle the situation according to Dutch standards, to confront or to tolerate. Honour killings should be tackled according to the law, she said. But the wearing of Muslim headscarves in the classroom is an example of where tolerance should be used. And equality between the sexes is an issue requiring confrontation, the paper quoted her as saying. The Labour party will vote on the policy document in March. Is the Labour leader right to say immigrants should give up their original nationality? To take part in our poll, click here
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'To become Dutch, you must in principle, give up your old nationality' Plouman said. What is happenning to this country? Have Dutch politicians forgetten the lessons of the last century? Such rhetoric could have come out of the mouth of Adolf Hitler and we all know what he did. What next Plouman... are you going to daub Morrocan and Turkish businesses with a big letter 'M' for muslim and make all followers of Islam wear arm band indicating so? Islamists don't scare me. Dutch Christians terrify me. By DEEP THROAT | December 23, 2008 11:03 AM If the Dutch government continues to try to stop dual nationality they will be in the same situation as they were about "inburgering" -- the European courts will not uphold a law that is discriminatory and aimed at specific nationalities, i.e., Moroccans, Turks, etc., which it obviously is. Therefore, all non-EU nationals will be subject to the same laws. I am a US national married to a Dutch national. The reason I do not get a Dutch passport is because I do not trust the Dutch government to allow me to keep my US passport. They are currently harassing many dual US/Dutch nationals to give up their US citizenship. Having to give up my US citizenship is unacceptable should I ever need to return to the US to to care for family members and also because many of my work contracts require US citizenship. Therefore, I remain marginalized in The Netherlands and unable to participate fully in society, although I employ Dutch people, pay full taxes, and contribute to Dutch society. There are currently about 30,000 Americans living in The Netherlands and about 100,000 Dutch living in the US. Should the Dutch government continue along these lines I hope that we can mobilize to get the US government to force dual Dutch/US nationals to give up their Dutch citizenship. By Quest | December 23, 2008 12:42 PM Absolutely ridiculous thing to say. As long as you are a law-abiding, tax paying citizen there is no conflict in having 2 nationalities. By Zelle | December 23, 2008 1:12 PM As a Dutch National born in Canada, I am worried that today's Dutch Government will not uphold the promise to my Opa and Oma stating that if they left Holland after the war (when there was no food and little shelter) any children or grandchildren born in Canada are welcome to maintain Dutch Citizenship. A quirky law in Canada at the time maintained the child followed the father's citizenship, so in fact I was a Dutch National and did not become a Canadian citizen until I was 24. I live in Canada, my children, both dual citizens with Canada, live in Holland. Where would this leave us? What a tangled web to unweave... By Shanta | December 23, 2008 6:19 PM I have an EU passport - Irish - but recently I had to listen to lots of 'advice' from Dutch government representatives telling me that unless I become a Dutch Citizen I have No Right to live in Holland, By Gerard | December 23, 2008 6:26 PM Hypocrisy.People who have stayed more than 20years are still labelled allochton.Before you see the spek in someone eye must remove the one in your own eye. By cm | December 23, 2008 7:21 PM why on earth Dutch poleticians obsessed with silly stuff which make them like they are paranoid with ethinic complexity. they appear to me sick and reading such news makes me feel my stomach turning out. By Kenny | December 24, 2008 8:13 AM Here’s one for ya. The underlying issue is how are you going to cleans the country of past immigration policies…turks, morrocan’s and…oh’ lets throw in a Jew every now and then so we don’t look biased. By Concerned | December 24, 2008 9:42 AM Quest, there are much more than 100,000 Dutch people in the USA. It is more like 9 million if you count first second, third fourth generations. I am one of them. And I do agree with you, Imagine if USA got fed up with the Dutch and started sending them all back to the Netherlands, all generations like they want to do to certain immigrants. They would be truly flooded with more people then they could imagine in this country, all Dutch too and the next step would be to kick the Netherlands out of Nato. I don't know how many Dutch live in Canada, but it is also a lot. By sandra | December 24, 2008 10:15 AM Sandra, Quest means Dutch subjects (citizens) living in the U.S. not Dutch descendents. Third or fourth generations are not "Dutch" but "American". It is only fair that if the Dutch Government requires Americans residing in the Netherlands to give up their citizenship, that the U.S. Government require Dutch nationals residing in the U.S. to do the same. By Bryjan | January 7, 2009 7:17 AM well after all that I've read here I am contemplating what will it be for me, after living in Jamaica my birth country for 29 years and now residing in the Netherlands for 11 years and am now ready to ask for dutch citizenship, but I am afraid they will ask me to hand over my Jamaican PP, I really don't want to lose my Jamaican citizenshp how can I prevent this? By George | January 17, 2010 5:19 AM
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These ideas were Geert Wilders and Rita Verdonk's ideas first. PVDA are stealing these ideas and should be called for what they truly are, hypocrites and fakes! PVDA have members of PVDA with dual nationalities in government positions of power! PVDA should come up with their own ideas instead of stealing ideas from other parties who had these ideas long before PVDA ever came up with it and also fought against these ideas in the near distance past, as we all remember well.
By sandra | December 23, 2008 10:12 AM