Denmark’s government has announced that it will resubmit last January’s stalled citizenship bill to parliament, effectively ending the Denmark citizenship freeze that has kept 2,055 approved applicants waiting for more than a year and a half. At the same time, the government has come out fully in favour of a new screening model that will filter future applicants for “undemocratic attitudes”.
FAKTA
- The frozen bill: L98, the citizenship bill cancelled when an early general election was announced at the end of February, listed 2,055 applicants by name
- The decision: the bill will be resubmitted to the Folketing in the first half of 2027, after the immigration ministry re-checks every case
- Screening exemption: the 2,055 applicants will be exempt from the planned new screening of views — old social media posts will not count against them
- Timeline: a parliamentary vote is not expected before the summer break, so citizenships would be granted in autumn 2027
- Future applicants: will face a new screening model designed to filter out applicants with “undemocratic attitudes”
- The minister’s line: citizenship should go only to those “loyal to Denmark and who have adopted Danish values”, says Immigration Minister Morten Bødskov
How the Denmark Citizenship Freeze Began
The bill, known as L98, was put to parliament in January and was set for its third and final reading at the end of March. But when Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called an early general election in February, the bill was put on pause — and the 2,055 people named in it were left in limbo.
A petition urging the process to resume gathered hundreds of signatures in September, but the decision rested with parliament. Denmark’s system is unusual in Europe: under Article 44 of the Constitution, foreigners can only obtain citizenship through statute, meaning each applicant must be individually named in a bill passed by the Folketing.
What Changes for the 2,055 Applicants
For most of the 2,055 people on the stalled bill, the announcement means they will finally receive Danish citizenship. Crucially, the government has decided to exempt them from the new screening requirement, so they no longer risk losing citizenship over posts they have made on social media.
Their cases will nonetheless be checked once again. The risk of being removed is small but real: anyone who has become indebted, changed their basis for residency, or been convicted of a crime since the bill was first submitted risks being struck from the list. Children of applicants who have turned 18 while the bill was frozen will no longer be covered, while a small number of stateless children may be added.
Immigration Minister Morten Bødskov told the Ritzau news agency that he expected the bill to pass, noting that the original bill was agreed by the Social Democrats, the Liberal Party, the Moderate Party, the Green Left Party and the Social Liberal Party.
“Loyal to Denmark”: The New Screening Model
The announcement marked the first time the government has come out fully in favour of a screening model. In a statement, Bødskov said Danish citizenship should only be granted to those who are “loyal to Denmark and who have adopted Danish values” — adding that people who “praise terror, support sharia and are against gay rights” should not be granted citizenship.
An expert committee is still examining how such screening could work in practice, including whether interviews or social media checks would be legal and workable. Bødskov has previously said he expects its conclusions before the end of 2026. A recent Epinion poll found that 74 percent of Danes support assessing applicants’ views and statements on democratic values.
The screening model will form part of a new cross-party agreement on citizenship, which will include the three government parties and at least one party from the right-wing opposition.
Who Is Affected and How
| Group | 2,055 applicants on the stalled bill | Future applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship route | Resubmitted L98 bill, first half of 2027 | New cross-party citizenship agreement |
| Screening of views | Exempt | Required under the new screening model |
| Case re-check | Yes — debt, residency basis, criminal record | Standard requirements |
| Expected citizenship | Autumn 2027 | After the new agreement takes effect |
Conclusion
The decision ends a freeze that left thousands of fully qualified applicants in limbo — but it also opens a new chapter in Danish integration policy. With a values-based screening model on the way and broad public backing for it, the path to Danish citizenship is about to become as much a test of outlook as of residence, language and work history.
For more on Denmark’s integration policies, visit Watan News in English.
