IMMIGRATION, EXTERNAL CITIZENSHIP AND EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP. A CONCEPTUAL AND PRACTICAL APPROACH

This paper presents a contextual analysis of the external citizenship theories and discusses their conceptual and practical linkages with the European citizenship conception. The article argues that in spite of not dwelling on the national territory, the first generation migrants may be considered legitimate members of the demos. They should, in consequence, possess rights of political participation and representation in their homeland politics. In the specific case of the European citizens, the external voting rights are a resource not only against the country of origin institutions, but also in relation to the country of residence administrations.