Dalia Henke EN

Dalia Henke, chair of the Lithuanian World Community, is proposing expanding separate cases when dual citizenship is possible after the dual citizenship referendum failed in Lithuania in May due to a lack of votes.

The XVI Lithuanian World Community (PLB) Seimas has elected Dalia Henke for a second term as its chairwoman. The new management will be comprised of Lithuanian community representatives from three continents, according to a press release from the PLB.

Dalia Henke of Germany has been reelected as chairwoman of the Lithuanian World Community (LWC).

Hopes are fading for a positive dual citizenship referendum in Lithuania after President Dalia Grybauskaitė vetoed amendments to the Referendum Law, lowering the threshold for such a referendum, the head of the Lithuanian World Community says.

A referendum on dual citizen will take place in Lithuania and it will need a lot of focus, Dalia Henke, head of the Lithuanian World Community, says.

The Lithuanian World Community (LWC) expect the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of the Seimas' decision to lower the yes-vote threshold for a dual citizenship referendum.

Lithuania's leaders need to choose the way of legalizing dual citizenship and Lithuanians living abroad will support that decision, representatives of the Lithuanian World Community said on Friday.

World Lithuanians are calling on the Seimas and government to launch a campaign for a referendum to legalize multiple citizenship.

The Lithuanian government has heard the voice of the communities living abroad and has reversed its decision to scrap the Commission for Coordination of Affairs of Lithuanians Living Abroad.

Lithuanian expat communities suggest solving the dilemma of dual citizenship by allowing persons to preserve their Lithuanian citizenship acquired by birth upon the request.

Dual citizenship can only be allowed by way of changing the Constitution, says Dainius Žalimas, chairman of the Lithuanian Constitutional Court, adding that amending the Citizenship Law will not be enough.

Lithuania's parliament will seek ways of allowing citizens living abroad to preserve their Lithuanian citizenship without referendum, says Parliamentary Speaker Viktoras Pranckietis.

Many emigrants hope to return to Lithuania and dual citizenship and tax-incentives for starting a business would encourage them to do so, Dalia Henke, chairwoman of the Lithuanian World Community, said on Friday.

The Lithuanian World Community (PLB) has stressed that the votes (or lack of) of the many Lithuanian expatriates could decide up to half of the Seimas’ composition. A PLB announcement urges expatriates to actively register for voting and vote responsibly with the registration deadline tomorrow.

Lithuanians living abroad support the proposal to introduce the Lithuanian Card, aimed at strengthening ties between expatriates and their home country, but still see dual citizenship as their ultimate goal, the daily Lietuvos Žinios reports.