The inevitability of Ukraine’s integration into the European Union, enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine since 2019, prompts us to review and rethink the option of access to power by persons with dual (multiple) citizenship and their participation in the public life of the state. The national legislative definition of citizenship as a legal and political instrument varies across the 27 member states of the European Union: from the prohibition of dual (multiple) citizenship for all citizens to the possibility (acceptability) of bipatrides’ participation in state-building. The fundamental principles of European Union law regarding this are the freedom of movement of persons, the prohibition of discrimination, the guarantee of human rights (the right to vote and the right to be elected), proportionality, and the rule of law. The purpose of the article is to analyze and compare the legislative regulation of the option of a person with dual (multiple) citizenship (bipatrid) to be elected/appointed as a head of state/ government, member of parliament/government in the member-states of the European Union, following the ethical considerations or the regulatory requirements to terminate alternative citizenship, even if it is acquired at birth, in advance of election or appointment to office. The possession of dual (multiple) citizenship by a person who exercises the right to vote, represents the state in the international arena, has access to power, state security, secrets and treasury, creates unprecedented challenges for the rule of law, objectifies the fragility of the citizenship matrix in relation to national identity and constitutional patriotism, creates a dilemma regarding the person’s loyalty to all and each state of citizenship. Given Ukraine’s declared Eurocentricity, the political and legal concept of citizenship clearly requires legislative clarity on the determination of dual (multiple) citizenship and on the number, timing, and modes of acquiring citizenship.

Authored books

1. Emmert F, Česká republika a dvojí občanství (C. H. Beck, 2011).

2. Emmert F, Státní občanství na území České republiky v minulosti a současnosti (Leges 2016).

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5. Trzciński K, Obywatelstwo w Europie. Z dziejów idei i instytucji (Scholar 2006).

6. Sofinska I, Filosofs’ko-pravova visija doktryny hromadjanstwa: monohrafiia (Kamenjar 2018) (in Ukrainian).

Edited books

7. Janská E (ed), Transnational Trajectories and Diaspora Policies. The Case of Czechia in Comparison to Poland, Hungary and Slovakia (Karolinum Press 2024).

8. Shachar A and others (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Citizenship (Oxford University Press 2017) https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198805854.001.0001.

9. Thym D (ed), Questioning EU citizenship: Judges and the limits of free movement and solidarity in the EU, modern studies in European law (Hart Publishing, Oxford 2017).

Journal articles

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11. Blatter J, ‘Dual Citizenship and Theories of Democracy’ [2011] 15(6–7) Citizenship Studies 769–798 https://doi.org/10.1080/13621025.2011.600090.

12. de Groot G-R, González G M, ‘Steps Towards a Realisation of the Right to Have a Nationality’ [2024] 16(2) LeXonomica 143–164 https://doi.org/10.18690/lexonomica.16.2.143-164.2024.

13. Harding C, ‘Questioning EU citizenship: Judges and the limits of free movement and solidarity in the EU, modern studies in European law’ [2019] 31(1) International Journal of Refugee Law 161–162 https://doi.org/10.1093/ijrl/eez014.

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15. Reijers W, Orgad L, de Filippi P, ‘The rise of cybernetic citizenship’ [2022] 27(2) Citizenship Studies 210–229 https://doi.org/10.1080/13621025.2022.2077567.

16. Trzcinski K, ‘Citizenship in Europe: The Main Stages of Development of the Idea and Institution’ [2021] 25(1) Studia Europejskie – Studies in European Affairs 7–31 https://doi.org/10.33067/SE.1.2021.1.

17. van den Brink M, ‘Revising Citizenship within the European Union: Is a Genuine Link Requirement the Way Forward?’ [2022] 23(1) German Law Journal 79–96 https://doi. org/10.1017/glj.2022.4.

18. Sofinska I, ‘Podviine hromadianstvo, pryntsyp virnosti i publichne vriaduvannia: maty ne mozhna pozbavyty’ [2021] 2 Chasopys Kyivskoho universytetu prava 71–76 https://doi. org/10.36695/2219-5521.2.2021.13 (in Ukrainian).

Newspaper articles

19. Bondarieva Kh, Prots A, ‘Kachka: Ukraina mozhe vyity na dohovir pro vstup do YeS u 2027 rotsi’ (Ukrainska pravda, 1 travnia 2026) (accessed 27.05.2026).

Websites

20. Bartasevicius V, The state of citizenship in Lithuania, EUI, RSC, [Global Governance Programme], GLOBALCIT, Country Report, 2025/06, 17 (accessed 27.05.2026).

21. Dual citizenship (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs 06.10.2020) (accessed 27.05.2026).

22. van der Baaren L J, Dual citizenship in the European Union: trends and analysis (2010–2020), [Global Governance Programme], GLOBALCIT, Comparative Reports, 2020/4, [Global Citizenship] (accessed 27.05.2026).

23. Piccolli L, ‘Can Elected Politicians Have Two Passports?’ (GLOBALCIT, November 6, 2017) (accessed 27.05.2026).

24. Vink M, De Groot G-R, Luk N C, ‘MACIMIDE Global Expatriate Dual Citizenship Dataset’ (Harvard Dataverse, Desember 2015) (accessed 27.05.2026).