Dutch Kingdom seeks permanent power to revoke citizenship of terrorists

WILLEMSTAD – The Kingdom of the Netherlands wants to permanently retain the authority to revoke Dutch citizenship from individuals who join terrorist organizations abroad, Curacao.nu reports. 

The proposed Kingdom Act has been submitted to the parliaments of Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten, as Dutch nationality is a Kingdom matter.

The measure applies to people aged 18 or older who are outside the Kingdom and can be proven to have joined a designated terrorist organization. A criminal conviction is not required. However, the individual must hold another nationality, as international law prohibits making someone stateless.

Since the temporary law took effect in 2017, the measure has been used 25 times. The government argues that the terrorist threat remains and wants the authority to continue beyond March 1, 2027.