Two thirds of migrants seeking Danish citizenship failed the new test, which is part of Danish Immigration Minister Inger Støjberg’s plan to make it harder to get a Danish passport.
The new exams test migrants’ cultural knowledge of Denmark, along with their historical knowledge of the nation and whether they are familiar with the country’s landmarks. June saw a new citizenship test brought in. The previous exam, launched by the previous government in 2014, was deemed easy for migrants to pass.
After learning that 68.8 per cent of migrants failed the test, politicians from the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party urged the government to re-think the exams. They demanded the tests be made easier or that the migrants be allowed to retake it for free.
The test requires migrants answer 32 questions correctly out of 40 in order to qualify for citizenship. Among the questions in the test was one which asked migrants whether religious views needed to adhere to Danish society’s rules.
Other questions include identifying the number of municipalities that are in Denmark, and which Danish restaurant has three Michelin stars.
On Tuesday, Ms. Støjberg confirmed that 68.8 percent of those who took the test for the first time failed. The immigration minister said people had failed to properly study for it.
“It should be hard to become a Danish citizen because it is something special.
“Therefore, one needs to earn it. You need to prepare yourself and take the test. On top of that you need to stay away from crime and take care of yourself [financially],” she told news agency Ritzau.
Migrants who take the citizenship test are already provided with studying materials for it. The exams also take place twice a year, in June and December.
Last week Breitbart London reported that Denmark first enforced a controversial new law introduced by the state. The law entitles Denmark to seize excessive valuables from migrants entering the country, to help the state pay for some of the costs they will incur.