This law makes it possible to revoke the Dutch citizenship of someone over eighteen years old who is outside the Netherlands and has joined a terrorist organization that poses a threat to our national security. No criminal conviction is required for this. The revocation aims to make legal return to the Netherlands or other parts of the Kingdom impossible and to complicate illegal return. At the same time as the revocation, this person is declared an undesirable alien.
State Secretary Rutte of Justice and Security: “We do not want people who join terrorist organizations abroad to simply return to the Kingdom. By being able to revoke citizenship, we prevent them from claiming Dutch citizenship and keep our country safe. That is why it is important that this authority becomes permanent.”
By making this authority permanent in the law, the cabinet wants to prevent people who join terrorist organizations from returning to the Netherlands or other parts of the Kingdom. Dutch nationals who travel abroad to join a terrorist organization pose a great risk to national security. The expectation is that this ongoing terrorist threat will not diminish in the near future, partly due to current geopolitical circumstances.
The bill will be open for a four-week (online) consultation period. This is shorter than usual because it is an existing authority. This allows the law to be processed swiftly. Everyone can respond to the proposal. The responses will be used to further improve the bill before it is submitted to the Council of State for advice and then to the House of Representatives.
