The right-wing populist DPP (Danish People’s Party) has recently introduced stricter rules on immigration and integration which make it more difficult for would-be immigrants and those already in Denmark to marry a Dane. Rules which have obviously come under criticism from some critics and human rights activists who feel these laws violate European norms affecting not just right of immigrants, but also Danish nationals.
Denmark, like most Scandinavian countries already has relatively stringent immigration management measures in place, the new immigration rules state that:
- Both the Danish and the foreign partner need to be at least 24 years old
- The Danish partner needs to post a bond of £7,200 collateral ($11,600)
- The foreign partner has to pass a language and knowledge test
- Both need to demonstrate a combined attachment to Denmark greater than to any other country
Of these four requirements, the need to pass a language and knowledge test seems the only understandable and realistic expectation. The Danish government denies that its laws breach human rights, but state that they in fact are designed to prevent forced marriages of minors and young adults. The data relating to the number of forced marriages in Denmark is unclear and not forthcoming.
Naser Khader, a Palestinian and Syrian descendent and immigration spokesman for the Danish Conservatives was particularly explicit:
“Denmark should welcome anybody who wants to contribute to this society, but we don’t want people who don’t want to contribute” which is fair enough really, but also far removed from any concept of human compassion or good will.
Reports that state-funded hostels for the homeless are forced to turn away foreigners who do not have permanent residency status and compel them to freeze to death in sub-zero temperatures is particularly discomforting.
The motives behind the law enforcements are understandable and are indeed designed to protect Danish nationals, however, in today’s world of mobility and strengthening international relations it seems almost a step backwards in terms of international development and national integration.
The DPP leader Pia Kjaersgaard, a former social worker in an old people’s home, failed to extend the compassion of her former career when she bluntly stated “We founded the party because of too many immigrants”.
The party is particularly focused on Denmark’s Muslim population who it claims is “unwilling to integrate and hostile to Danish values such as free speech”. The statement refers undoubtedly to the “cartoon crisis” in 2005, when several Muslims in Denmark and abroad objected to cartoons published in a Danish newspaper that satirised the Prophet Mohammed. Some Muslims reacted quite violently to this insult, but as with every religion there are extremists and when you play with fire you should expect that fireworks will react more violently to being shaken than a sparkler.
Nevertheless it is important that immigrants integrate into their destination country and make efforts to respect their values. However, it is unclear what efforts the Danish have made to assist such integration and whether mutual respect is also a value that they hold as dearly as free speech.
The stricter laws whilst designed to protect Danish nationals may in fact do more to increase the underlying unrest in the country and hold them back from further progress and success.
