(CNN) - Proud American citizen Michele Bachmann now has another country to call home: Switzerland.
The Minnesota congresswoman and former GOP presidential candidate was granted dual citizenship with the European country, her spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday night.
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"Congresswoman Bachmann's husband is of Swiss descent so she has been eligible for dual-citizenship since they got married in 1978," Becky Rogness said in a statement. "However, recently some of their children wanted to exercise their eligibility for dual-citizenship so they went through the process as a family."
While her husband has Swiss heritage, Bachmann wrote in her 2011 memoir that her ancestors hail from Norway (her great-great-great grandfather emigrated from the country). Her mother sang Norweigen folk songs to her as a child, she wrote, and she studied the language in college but "never had time really to gain proficiency."
Bachmann, who's running for a fourth term in the House, joins millions of Americans with dual citizenship.
According to the State Department, dual nationals "owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country" and "are required to obey the laws of both countries."
But could her new, by-marriage Swiss pride conflict with her own Norwegian roots?
Perhaps she'll stay neutral on that debate.
The story was first reported by Politico.
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Every bank all my money is stashed in I'm a citizen of. That way when they catch you your already set up.
Dual citizenship is a slap in the face to the folks of both nations. Choose one! And only one! Either you are an American or you aren't. There is no in-between!
Dual citizenship is a bad idea to begin with. Either you're an American citizen or you're not - no half-measures. But it should UNQUESTIONABLY be off-limits for any person running for elective office. I want to be represented by an American, not someone with their feet in two countries. Is that really so extreme - expecting people running for office in American to be solely Americans, not half something else?
Michelle Bachmann is proud of her European citizenship, now she can help Mitt Romney with his Swiss Bank accounts. Now the Republicans think it's ok to be like Europe if you run for president.
This is understandable. She did it to get access to they universal health care they have in Switzerland.
No wonder she was trying to leave this country as nothing but a smoking hole in the ground. Already had her escape plan ready.
How wonderful for her. I am very pleased that she did this. Now if she would only move there and never come back. She should take all of the tea partiers, Rush, and all the other facist leaning Republicans.
I knew she wasn't a "true American."
Her kids want to go to Switzerland, a socialist country? A country with a greater percentage of muslims than the US.
so here goes more LIBERAL VITRIOL, LIES AND HATE toward a real American....................an American that obama is trying to run out of the country now known as obamaland
is swiss an ethnicity? they don't even have their own language...
So much for being American. I can only imagine the response if President Obama accepted dual citizenship, being of Kenyan descent. The head of every conservative commentator would probably explode within seconds.
Is she still able to run for office? I don't know how things work in the US, but I know here in Australia that would disqualify her.
Who really cares if someone does not give their full allegiance to America. I'm 100% American, and I definitely don't. I will pledge allegiance to America when it ends its 400-year history of pillage, plunder, rape and murder.
democrats are desperate...they see a devastating loss coming their way in November and they'll grasp at anything and everything to attack republicans. Having dual citizenship doesn't mean anything but being able to get through customs much faster...especially in Europe. Bachmann is more American than Obama with his Kenyan father and muslim ties. Last time I looked, Switzerland is a neutral country and has never been at odds with the US...muslims have attacked the US and caused devastating losses of life on our soil. So, I would suggest that democrats leave Bachmann alone...or Obama will be the recipient of a lot of questions about his ancestors and he's up for reelection!!!!
Too bad for Switzerland. Does this mean they have lost their "neutral" status?
She's a fakie ,flake and I'm with neither party "Mohamed .
God Bless America
According to US law if you are born a US citizen but are not born dual citizen you automatically lose your US citizebship when you take on the citizenship of another country. Her kids can be dual citizens because their father is Swiss, but she cannot. She just forfeitted her US citizenship.
Stop! I (Swiss citizen) don't want her here! I really do love America but my love isn't THAT big! 😉
She can get welfare from them instead of her farm payents and Medicare fraud she gets in Minn.
@mikem – The US used to (IDK if it still does or not) require foreign nationals who wish to become naturalized to renounce their citizenship to another country but European countries do not have this requirement. If you renounced loyalties, it sounds like you gave up your other citizenship to the other country and do not have dual citizenship.
Considering Bachmann's comments about the patriotism of others and other statements about being AMerican, etc. her taking citizenship to Switzerland is hypocritical. Her children could easily have become dual citizens based on their father's heritage without her doing so.
Well, this is something R-Money should have done – That way, his SWISS accounts will be LEGAL!!!
Obama 2012 – The Only Trusted Way Forward!!
Isn't that the country where Romney keeps all his money. Whats going on. I smell a rat....
"As an expert on Switzerland's Constitution, may I say that the American one is very similar...except for the fact that it's written in American."
So why is this a big deal. Sorry but I just don't think it is news.