Individuals convicted of serious offences such as organised crime, homicide, or sexual offences may soon face the loss of Belgian nationality, following an agreement by the Council of Ministers announced by Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden on Friday.
This revocation will only apply to those who acquired Belgian nationality within 15 years prior to committing the offence. Verlinden (CD&V) stated that the reform aims to "send a strong signal."
The coalition agreement already stipulates that a judge should assess the revocation of Belgian nationality in cases of terrorism convictions.
In instances involving dual nationals, the judge must automatically consider this issue, even if the prosecution does not explicitly request it.
Judges can decide not to revoke the nationality, but must "explicitly justify" if they believe the consequences would be "unreasonable and disproportionate."
For convictions related to homicide, sexual offences, or organised crime, nationality can also be withdrawn, but only in specific cases that pose a fundamental threat to public safety.
Previously, individuals who obtained Belgian nationality after birth could be deprived of it if they received sentences of at least five years for grave offences, such as crimes against state security, severe violations of international humanitarian law, terrorism, or human trafficking.
