Proposals to Revoke Citizenship of Individuals Guilty of Severe Offenses
Going Straight to the Point:
The radical Chega party in Portugal wants to rewrite the nation's nationality rules, emphasizing the stripping of nationality for wrongdoers and stringent criteria for acquiring Portuguese nationality, especially for kids of foreigners.
Party's Agenda:
Chega has presented a bill that puts a new spin on nationality as not an inviolable right but one that can be revoked when it's misused to jeopardize the country's values and institutions. From the party's perspective, this applies when individuals commit acts that gravely compromise the country's sovereignty, national security, or the rule of law. The bill further details instances such as participation in terrorist organizations, crimes against state security, or attacks on the foundations of democratic rule. If passed, anyone convicted of these heinous acts could lose their Portuguese nationality, irrespective of the punishment.
Elevating Criteria for Portuguese Nationality:
Additionally, Chega wants to make it tougher for children born in Portugal to foreigners to gain Portuguese nationality automatically. Currently, they can if one parent has resided legally in the country for at least two years. According to the bill, the period should be extended to six years for Portuguese-speaking countries and ten years for everyone else. Moreover, applicants must pass a national integration and citizenship test, prove an effective connection to the national community, and demonstrate the ability to support themselves financially. They must also show proficiency in the Portuguese language.
Chega's Plan in a Nutshell:
In summary, the Chega party plans to introduce harsh penalties for offenses that dishonor national symbols, history, and values and make it difficult for foreigners to obtain Portuguese nationality. The party aims to protect the nation's sovereignty, security, and democratic principles by putting consequences in place for those who violate these ideals.
The Chega party, in its proposed policy-and-legislation, aims to strengthen Portugal's nationality regulations, seeking to revoke nationality for individuals who commit acts against national security, sovereignty, or the rule of law, and participate in terrorist organizations, as part of its general-news agenda. Additionally, the party plans to elevate the criteria for children born in Portugal to foreigners to gain Portuguese nationality, by extending the residency requirement for Portuguese-speaking countries to six years and ten years for others, and requiring applicants to pass a national integration and citizenship test, demonstrate financial independence, proficiency in Portuguese, and an effective connection to the national community.
