Why and how can Hungarian citizenship be suspended — and how to regain it?

The Hungarian government introduced a new modification concerning Hungarian citizenship months ago, making it possible to suspend the citizenship of “dangerous people” temporarily. Furthermore, it is also a prerequisite of such a procedure that the person concerned must have at least one other citizenship, so that, by the suspension, they will not become stateless. Hungarian opposition parties said the Orbán cabinet would use the new option to silence their political adversaries. Others believe that the first victim of the new power will be George Soros, the Hungarian-born American philanthropist, businessman and investor.

Hungarian citizenship suspension: a brand-new idea of the Orbán cabinet

PM Viktor Orbán talked about the importance of a spring “clean-up” in Hungary in his 15 March speech in front of the Hungarian National Museum. Two weeks later, János Halász, a lawmaker of Orbán’s Fidesz, submitted a draft bill enabling the temporary suspension of Hungarian citizenship in certain cases and people.

According to the bill, which has not yet been approved by the Hungarian Parliament, Hungarian citizenship can only be suspended for individuals who do not hold citizenship in another EEA country. This means the suspension does not apply to citizens of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, or Liechtenstein. Furthermore, the individual affected must hold the citizenship of another state, so the suspension of their Hungarian citizenship will not result in becoming stateless for them.

That means the bill, provided the parliament passes it, will be applicable to, for example, dual citizens who hold, among others, British, American, Russian, and Chinese citizenship. Some opposition key figures and the Hungarian media speculated that even mayors like Péter Márki-Zay, the joint opposition’s former prime ministerial candidate in 2022, who holds Canadian citizenship, might be a target. Others believe the bill will be used against George Soros.

“Dangerous citizens”

Hungarian citizenship can be suspended for a maximum of 10 years if its existence represents a danger to Hungary’s public order or national security.