The Impact of the Legislative, Political and Economic Context of the Country of Origin on Naturalisation. The Case of EU Nationals in Switzerland

Abstract

Naturalization decision not only depends on the profile and migratory trajectory of those likely to acquire a new nationality but also on the characteristics of the host countries and the countries of origin. Until now, little attention has been paid to changes in the country of origin. Thus, this article focused on three events that may have affected the naturalization of foreign nationals living in Switzerland: recognition of dual nationality, EU accession, and the euro debt crisis. It aims to shed light on naturalization practices by comparing the evolution of naturalization rates throughout periods before and after these changes occurred in the country of origin. Results show that the recognition of dual nationality is likely to have an increased interest in naturalization on a long-term basis, while the new UE Member States’ naturalization rate decreased and converged towards the European rate. The impact of the economic crisis is more questionable.