French nationality has been ranked the best in the world for the 8th consecutive year, according to the latest findings of the Kälin and Kochenov’s Quality of Nationality Index (QNI).
France earned a score of 83.5% out of a possible 100% – less than one percentage point ahead of Germany and the Netherlands, which sit in a joint second place with 82.8%.
While the difference between the quality of French and Dutch and German nationalities is relatively narrow, France’s comparative advantage lies in its greater settlement freedom (attributable mainly to the country’s former colonial empire).
In the top 10 on this year’s index, Denmark finds itself in 3rd place with a score of 81.7%, while Norway and Sweden hold a joint fourth spot with 81.5%. Making the rest of the top 10 are Iceland (81.4%), Finland (81.2%), Italy (80.7%), the UK (80.3%), Ireland (80.2%), and Spain (80.0%).
South Africa was placed 85th on the list.
Despite being currently ranked as the eighth-best nationality worldwide, Britain’s very respectable position may well be under threat following a potential hard Brexit, which could lead to Brits dropping to 56th globally.
EU countries usually perform highly on the QNI, on account of the liberal degree of settlement freedom allowed between member states. However, if Britain ends up exiting the EU without a deal in place, the nationality’s quality would be greatly diminished in the eyes of this index.
According to the research, compiled by Professor Dr. Dimitry Kochenov and Dr. Christian H Kaelin, this devaluation would potentially have an ‘irrevocable’ effect.
Professor Kochenov has explained:
The UK may be about to establish a world record in terms of profoundly undermining the quality of its nationality without going through any violent conflict.
Depending on the still-to-be determined outcome of Brexit, the UK could see itself falling from the elite group of ‘very high quality’ nationalities into the ‘high quality’ bracket.
A truly ‘hard’ Brexit would result in the UK having a nationality that does not grant Britons settlement or work rights in any of the EU jurisdictions or Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland: a collection of the most highly developed places on earth, greatly diminishing the quality of its own nationality in an irrevocable manner: either you have such rights, or not – and in such a scenario UK citizens won’t have them.
