More than half of the citizens of Lithuania for dual citizenship

More than half of the population of Lithuania is in favor of the validation of dual citizenship. According to the latest public opinion polls conducted by the Institute for Public Opinion Research “Spinter Tyrimai” commissioned by the portal delfi.lt. 57 per cent. Of the respondents to the question: “Do you support (Mrs.) validation of dual citizenship in Lithuania?” Answered in the affirmative, 29 percent. is against, 13.6 per cent. have no opinion on the subject.

In a poll conducted on 12-22 December 2014. Attended the 1002 respondents aged between 18 and 75 years. For dual citizenship in favor of young people aged 18 to 35 years, and better educated. Least supporters holding two passports is among the elderly (aged 56 years), rural residents and people with an average or lower-than-average education. Similar studies have been carried out to the public in 2009. Then the proponents of dual citizenship constituted 72 percent. Sociologists predict, however, that over time, support for the appropriate constitutional changes will increase.

Currently dual nationality may have only those people who left Lithuania before 1990 and their descendants. Such a right is not granted to persons who left Lithuania after regaining the country’s independence. Dual citizenship may have a person who has been granted citizenship automatically, or by marriage to a citizen of another country and by birth if at least one parent is a citizen of Lithuania.

The liberalization of the law should be changed only by referendum: the majority of the citizens of Lithuania would have to agree to the change of the relevant provision in the Constitution RL. It is true that the possibility of such a referendum had been mentioned before the presidential election in 2014. Now there is talk about the possibility of a referendum with the Sejm elections in 2016.

Proponents of dual citizenship argue that in today’s globalized world, it is simply a must if Lithuania wants to maintain a relationship with immigrants. Critics are of the opinion that a citizen can be loyal to one country. Are also concerned that having dual citizenship can apply for representatives of national minorities, and that can take advantage of Russia.

On the basis of: delfi.lt, BNS