WHEN his deputy was recently outed in a row about legislators who are dual nationals, Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s prime minister, downplayed the potential consequences for his conservative coalition government. He may now be feeling less confident. On October 27th the country’s highest court ruled that Barnaby Joyce was ineligible to hold his seat because he was also a citizen of New Zealand when he was elected. As a result, Mr Turnbull has lost his lower-house majority of just one. At least until a by-election is held in December, he will have to rule with a hung parliament.
They have been dubbed the “citizenship seven”: legislators from both houses of parliament whose eligibility to hold foreign passports came to light two months ago. The seven, variously, were citizens by descent of Canada, New Zealand, Italy and Britain. The constitution bars those with foreign citizenship, or people who are entitled to it, from competing for parliamentary seats. The seven say...Continue reading
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