Estonia’s coalition seeks dual citizenship for citizens by birth
Thursday 15th October 2026 on 15:45 in
Estonia
Estonia’s governing coalition parties have proposed allowing some citizens by birth to hold dual citizenship, ERR reported. Opposition lawmakers questioned what problem the change would solve.
The Reform Party and Estonia 200 parliamentary groups jointly introduced a bill on Wednesday. It would allow Estonian citizens by birth to apply to restore their citizenship if they had lost or renounced it after acquiring the citizenship of another country.
Estonia’s constitution says citizenship by birth cannot be taken away. However, the Citizenship Act requires people who hold Estonian citizenship by birth and another country’s citizenship to choose between them when they turn 18.
Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa Pakosta of Estonia 200 said the requirement was misguided. She said it was legitimate for an 18-year-old who wants to keep both Estonian and US citizenship to do so.
Pakosta said the proposal would apply to people with citizenship in European Economic Area member states, as well as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland. She said these countries have large Estonian communities.
Opposition lawmakers said they did not understand what issue the bill would address, noting that citizenship by birth cannot be revoked. Vadim Belobrovtsev, deputy chair of the Centre Party parliamentary group, said the proposal gave some people an advantage over others and needed more discussion.
Evelin Poolamets of the Conservative People’s Party of Estonia said the change could raise questions about military service, including whether young people would serve in Estonia or another country and which country’s military reserve they would join. She also raised questions about social security and pensions, and whether people with dual citizenship would contribute equally to both countries.
Valdo Randpere of the Reform Party said more young people were living abroad and that citizenship was one way to maintain their connection with Estonia. He hopes the bill will receive the 51 votes needed to pass, saying he has not received a firm rejection from opposition representatives. He has not discussed the proposal with Conservative People’s Party representatives.