Elections are upcoming in Denmark, and 491 000 people - representing 10.3% of the the country's adult population - will be unable to vote as they do not have Danish citizenship.

As well as being unable to vote, those without Danish citizenship cannot stand for election to a parliamentary position, work as a police officer or a firefighter, or represent Denmark at sporting events. Rules for obtaining citizenship are becoming increasingly restrictive, and in some parts of the country the proportion of those without it is even higher. In Copenhagen, for example, such individuals represent 19.5% of the total population, and in Ishøj the figure stands at 25%.

A person is eligible for Danish citizenship if they:

• have been working full-time in Demark for the last 3.5 years;
• pass the highest level of the national Danish language exam;
• do not not owe the state any money;
• have not been sentenced for any crimes;
• pass a test of 45 questions about Danish history, culture, society and values;
• have already held permanent residency for a minimum of two years.

All of the above criteria must be met by citizenship applicants, and exceptions to eligibility requirements are rarely granted. These criteria often represent a barrier for third country nationals hoping to become citizens, as it is generally more difficult for them to access the labour market than for EU citizens (who face fewer obstacles in terms of education and experience). In 2021, the most common countries of origin of citizenship applicants in Denmark were the UK, Iraq, Germany, Afghanistan, Poland, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and Romania, as well as those who are stateless.

On average, those granted citizenship have already been living in Denmark for 19 years. Children can only be granted citizenship if one of their parents already has it, and at present there are 15 000 young people aged 18 - 23 who were born and raised in the country and do not have Danish citizenship. According to Professor Kasper Møller Hansen from the Political Science Institute at Copenhagen University, those granted citizenship at an older age tend to engage less in political processes than those who become citizens when they are younger, generally because they do not feel they have any democratic influence. He explains that in Denmark there are two conflicting narratives around citizenship as an integration tool: one says that securing citizenship should be easier, in order to encourage active participation in society and a feeling of inclusion, while the other - which is more dominant - sees citizenship as something that foreigners must earn by first making a concerted effort to integrate.