Why Sweden is cracking down on citizenship

The Swedish government is proposing a constitutional amendment that would make it possible to revoke the citizenship of certain individuals. Those who obtained their citizenship through fraudulent means, or who pose a threat to the state, could now face being stripped of their passport. This is one of many measures which are defining Sweden’s pragmatic shift away from radical idealism.

In contrast to Denmark, the Netherlands, France, and Britain, there has – until now – been no circumstance that would allow someone’s Swedish citizenship to be cancelled. Not even the worst terrorists involved in appalling crimes at the Islamic State’s zenith could lose their passports.

Yet, the main reason for this impending shift is not primarily the presence of terror sympathisers, but rather the catastrophic problem of gang-related crime in Sweden, which is by now – sadly – widely known across Europe.