Verlenging naturalisatietermijnen

Reactie

Vraag1

I believe there is both a right and a wrong way to implement an extension of the naturalization period. As a sovereign nation, the Netherlands has the authority to determine what it considers an appropriate timeframe for integration. However, as a nation that should foster trust and fairness, it would be extremely unjust to retroactively apply such a change to people who made life decisions based on the current five-year rule. Many individuals have built their livelihoods and plans on that expectation.

Retroactive application would create uncertainty and undermine confidence in the stability of Dutch law, which could, in turn, discourage future migrants from committing to the Netherlands. If the true intention of the proposal is to significantly restrict immigration, then that goal should be stated openly and debated transparently, rather than introduced indirectly through measures that erode trust.

Therefore, I recommend that, if the extension is indeed the will of the Dutch people and their government, it be applied only to individuals newly arriving in the country, and not retroactively to those already on the path to naturalization.