The state of citizenship in a wider Europe : towards convergence?
Year: 2026
Type: report
Abstract: In the wake of the 2004 EU enlargement, scholars speculated about convergence in citizenship policies towards a more immigrant-friendly model among new member states with putatively ethnic traditions that prioritised diaspora ties over newcomers’ integration. While East-West stereotypes have been criticised for misrepresenting historical legacies, this does not prejudice real pressures exerted by Europeanisation, recent migration experiences and democratic consolidation. We leverage detailed information from country reports covering 12 Eastern European EU member states and candidate countries to take stock of these developments. In this comparative report, we provide a synthesis of the findings from the reports that provide an overview of the post-2000 developments in citizenship law in these countries. We summarise the main developments and reflect on the impact of international and demographic changes on the regulation of citizenship across various domestic contexts.
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7130623674