The immigration ministry will be one of the most legislatively busy in Denmark this parliament, with 17 legal changes put forward to make it tougher for foreigners to get citizenship.
While many of the new laws proposed may seem harsh, they have been formulated with the best interests of the nation at heart. Heavy emphasis is now placed on the ability of foreigners to integrate and contribute in Danish society, giving hope to fellow Europeans but casting doubt on the status of the hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees moving up through Europe from Africa and the East.
Speaking at the opening of parliament in Copenhagen yesterday, Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen outlined how up until this point, integration had been allowed to utterly fail in Denmark. He told the chamber: “We need to speak openly about the fact that there is a difference between being a refugee and being an economic migrant. We can never cope with a mass migration that is borne upon the desire for a better life, regardless of how understandable that desire is”.
“Thus far, integration has failed. Of all the immigrants from non-Western countries, not even a half are employed. Even though many have been here for 10, 20 or 30 years. It is deeply worrying”.
TheLocal.dk reports the Danish PM also used his speech to announce a new referendum, giving Danes a say on whether the nation signs up to the European Union’s common asylum and immigration policies. Up until now the nation has opted out of compulsory resettlement of refugees, and the announcement is an attempt by the right-wing government to put the matter to bed permanently.
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