Comment: Here is an interesting story from Denmark reporting that Immigration Minister Birthe Roenn Hornbech had been fired from her job for not only illegally refusing citizenship to a group of Palestinians born there, but not informing parliament immediately of such a mistake, reports the BBC.
Writes Yahoo News: “Hornbech’s refugees, immigration and integration portfolio was handed over to Development Cooperation Minister Soeren Pind, who is considered a hardliner on the immigration issue. In one of his first statements after his nomination, Pind described the UN convention that sent his predecessor packing as ‘stupid.'”
Some Finnish politicians from the True Finns are hoping that they will hold the same power as the populist and xenophobic Danish People’s Party (DPP) led by Pia Kjaersgaard. Denmark’s Liberal-Conservative coalition government has relied on the support of the DPP to stay in power in exchange for tightened immigration and citizenship laws.
Even though the majority of Danes do not back the DPP, Denmark is a sad case how Islamophobia can grip a small nation. Denmark is the biggest loser of such a mistaken policy because it creates an inclusive and unequal society.
Do you agree?
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Denmark’s Immigration Minister Birthe Roenn Hornbech has been sacked after 36 stateless Palestinians were wrongly refused citizenship.
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The special nationality rights of stateless individuals are hardly news and only a very incompetent official could claim to be unaware of them. It’s conceivable that Hornbech was gambling on Danish withdrawal from the associated UN Convention, but more likely IMO that she simply failed to appreciate her legal obligations.
One of the peculiarities of representative democracy is that the electoral process tests for popularity but not for fitness to govern.
Poor women, I don’t understand why she should lose her job, Why would Palestinians want to live in a country like Denmark???…
–Why would Palestinians want to live in a country like Denmark???…
Because it is their right and were born there.
Adding salt to the wound on Denmark’s society by xenophobia, is Hornbech’s successor, Soeren Pind, who described the UN convention that sent his predecessor packing as “stupid.” Where is all this nationalist sentiment taking Denmark? Is it going to make it a better country? Will it improve ethnic relations? This tiny country is a good example of how NOT to handle your immigration policy. The end-result of this type of policy spells failure for everyone concerned. We must not forget, however, that there are many Danes who are against the DPP’s policies.
Denmark has the option of renouncing the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. Only two countries in the world are not parties to this instrument: Somalia, because it has had no functioning government capable of ratifying international treaties, and the USA, because the Convention prohibits capital punishment for offences committed by children.
Until Denmark joins this very exclusive club of non-signatories, the Convention on the Rights of the Child remains part of Danish law and has the force of a constitutional commitment.
Someone more familiar with Danish administrative practice may be able to enlighten us as to whether that country’s ministers have a duty to uphold the national law and constitution. If so, then Søren Pind should respectfully decline this appointment.
Let us hope Finland does not follow the lead of Denmark. In terms of legislation, Denmark’s is one of the harshest when it comes to migrants. Danish nationals who marry non-EU or non-scandinavian nationals have to move to Malmo in order for their spouses to get residence permits. Then, they have to commute everyday to work in Copenhagen! Eventually, the Danish national must take on Swedish citizenship so that his or her spouse may also get the same. It is virtually impossible for the foreign spouse to get Danish citizenship. It is also worth noting that Denmark is also one of the few European countries that does not allow dual nationality.
Another thing worth noting though, is that the theme of many of Henrik Ibsen’s plays is that the majority is not always correct. It would do the DPP some good to read some of their country’s own literature.
Hi Juan, I totally agree with you: following Denmark would be a perilous mistake. Why? Because it would hinder immigration to Finland. Certainly if the aim of the next government is to stop people from moving to Finland, then they should learn from the Danes. Finland needs anti-immigration policy like a hole in the head.