(Local) A law requiring newly-nationalized Danes to shake hands with a representative at their citizenship ceremonies should be scrapped, say a number of Social Democratic mayors prior to the party’s upcoming national congress.
As part of new rules on citizenship which came into effect on January 1st, participants at citizenship ceremonies are required to shake hands with their mayor or local official.
The new ceremony was provided for by a citizenship bill agreed last year by the previous government and the Danish People’s Party. It was seen by critics as targeting Muslims who, for religious reasons, do not shake hands with members of the opposite sex.
It was also linked to a significant increase in the cost of the citizen application process.
