Citizenship, Nationality and Ethnic Minorities in Three European Nations.

The article presents information on citizenship, nationality and ethnic minorities in the European Nations. To compare the ethnicity and citizenship in the European nations in such a rapidly changing situation presents a considerable challenge. The nature of the minority groups is different within the three societies. The ethnic minorities resident in the Great Britain disproportionately originate from the countries, which previously formed the British Empire and subsequently the Commonwealth. In Germany on the otherhand, ethnic minorities tend to come from neighbouring states, both within and outside the European Union. In France minorities exist which originate both from the areas of French Colonial influence, particularly the Maghreb, and from neighbouring states. Germany has a definition of nationality and citizenship strongly based in German ethnicity, understood in a very biological way. Formally German nationality is open to anyone who can establish their German origin irrespective of country of residence, although the practice is more restrictive than this.