[At Vote] [ga] Dual Citizenship Arrangements

[Astrobolt]

General Assembly Resolution

Dual Citizenship Arrangements

A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Civil Rights

Strength: Mild

Proposed by: Simone Republic

The World Assembly (WA),

Acknowledging its natural interest in regulating relations between WA states as well as to facilitate commerce, travel and communications between WA states;

Noting that certain WA states may prevent some inhabitants of sub-national regions from becoming full citizens;

Recognizing previous GA resolutions that regulate aspects of citizenship such as #523, #552, and #601 but noting that the WA does not explicitly regulate individuals holding multiple citizenships, thus creating potential issues for individuals that may hold multiple citizenships due to differences between the laws of different WA states;

Desiring a common solution for such issues through the WA;

1. Defines:
   1. Citizen(s) to mean the individual citizen(s) of a WA state;
   2. Dual citizen(s) (or “dual citizenship”) to mean citizen(s) of a WA state that is also the citizen of at least one other state, regardless of whether the second state is a WA state;
   3. References to "state" means any state regardless of membership, and “WA state” means a member of the WA;
   
   
2. Requires: 
   1. A WA state may not create different levels of citizenship or nationality such that an individual is a citizen or national of certain sub-national portions of the said WA state but not a citizen throughout the entirety of the said WA state;
   2. No action by an individual or by a WA state pursuant to this resolution may result in statelessness on the part of an individual;
   
   
3. Requires that a WA state may not, subject to extant WA resolutions:
   1. prohibit its legally competent citizens from:
      
      
      
      voluntarily renouncing their citizenship of that WA state, as long as this does not result in statelessness for that citizen;
      
      
      
      voluntarily adopt the citizenship of another state;
      
      
   2. bring charges of treason against former citizens provided that the said crimes are alleged to have been committed after they have renounced their citizenship;
   3. impose taxes or fees specifically as a result of an individual seeking to renounce their citizenship;
   4. impose other conditions on any individual seeking to renounce their citizenship, except for:
      
      
      
      requiring an individual to resign from a position with the national or sub-national governments of a WA state (including military service) if clause 4(a)(iii) applies;
      
      
      
      the payment of any other taxes already then due and payable according to the laws of that WA state;
   
   
4. Requires that if a WA state chooses to permit dual citizenship, subject to extant WA resolutions:
   1. it must not discriminate against such citizens except on the following matters:
      1. a declared state of war exists between that WA state and the other state(s) in which that citizen also has citizenship;
      2. participation in elections; or
      3. appointment to, or employment of, the dual citizen by national or sub-national governments of that WA state that require clearances of that WA state for national security purposes;
         
         
      
      
   2. it must not deny the right to consular protection if such rights are exercised by other state(s) in which the dual citizen holds citizenship;
   
   
5. Requires that all WA states remind their citizens travelling to non-WA states, through such means as the WA state deems necessary:
   1. to check in advance if they are also citizens of the other non-WA states even if they are not aware of such citizenship, due to circumstances such as (merely as an example) distant family relations;
   2. to be aware that consular protection may or may not be available depending on the circumstances of the non-WA state;
   
   
6. Clarifies:
   1. this resolution does not affect whether a WA state permits dual citizenship for its own citizens;
   2. if a WA state changes its laws so that it no longer permits dual citizenship, it may not compel its own dual citizens from renouncing their other citizenship(s) nor to discriminate against such dual citizens except as per the limited circumstances in clause 4(a);
   3. in case of disputes concerning clause 4(b) between two WA states, the Independent Adjudicative Office shall have jurisdiction.
   
   

This is the discussion thread. To cast your vote, go HERE

[Jabberwocky]

This strikes me as micromanagement. A lot of this is best left to individual nations to determine for themselves. Because of that I move AGAINST.

[Tymus]

Does dual citizenship not require cooperation between nations, though? I agree a few of the clauses extend the WA’s power too much into a state’s own sovereignty over its citizens and their citizenship. But, as far as dual citizenship is concerned, perhaps an international resolution concerning international relations is necessary.

Though, I can’t just pick what parts of a resolution I like when this is the form that is being voted on, so I’m not sure. I’m FOR, for now.

I'll just edit here as, though it looks like this resolution is going to pass pretty easily, I read that clause 4 contains provisions allowing nations to discriminate against dual citizens in times of war. That seems like a pretty dangerous slippery slope that some real life countries have stumbled down. The election clause under clause 4 is also a bit concerning. So I am AGAINST now, for what it's worth, if anybody else didn't notice that.