More than three years have passed, and the Constitutional Court of Ukraine remains in a state of uncertainty regarding the issue of the constitutionality of multiple citizenship, which is one of the key aspects of our country’s national and state security
Despite lengthy discussions and numerous debates, the court's judges have yet to reach a final decision on this matter, significantly complicating the process of adopting relevant legislative acts and implementing state policy in this area. According to official comments, the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, stated that the constitutional submission by Members of Parliament regarding the interpretation of Article 4 of the Ukrainian Constitution remains open within the country's judicial system. In an interview with "Ukrainska Pravda," he confirmed: “As of today, the decision of the Constitutional Court on this matter has not been made.” The speaker emphasized that initially, there was a public, transparent stage of discussion in the judicial procedure, but the private part of the constitutional process has now begun, during which a draft decision is being formulated. At the same time, he noted that he currently has no specific information regarding the dates of the decision or its contents. The response from the Secretariat of the Constitutional Court to the "Ukrainska Pravda" inquiry confirmed that the court's judges have still not reached a consensus to finalize a decision. Importantly, for the legitimacy of the vote of the Grand Chamber of the Constitutional Court, at least twelve judges must be present. However, since January 27, 2025, the criminal law norm changed the number of judges serving on the court — now there are only eleven. This means that the Constitutional Court lacks the quorum to hold sessions and make decisions, which raises doubts about the possibility of a prompt resolution to this acute constitutional intrigue. The background of this conflict traces back to June 18, when the Verkhovna Rada, in accordance with the legislative initiative of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adopted the Law "On Amendments to Legislation Regarding the Introduction of the Institution of Multiple Citizenship in Ukraine." This document allows Ukrainian citizens to hold multiple citizenships simultaneously, sparking intense debate in political and legal circles. Notably, this initiative is supported not only by the government team; several years ago, the president twice proposed legislative changes — on December 1, 2021, and January 22, 2024 — and attempted to promote the concept of multiple citizenship as a tool to protect the rights of Ukrainians abroad, especially those with Ukrainian roots, and to stimulate international contacts. It is important to note that as early as December 2021, when parliament was examining this issue, 99 deputies from various factions submitted an inquiry to the Constitutional Court. They asked the court to clarify how, within the framework of Article 4 of the Ukrainian Constitution, which proclaims single citizenship, the practice of multiple citizenship can be legitimately implemented. This question was extremely relevant, as the adoption of such a law could have far-reaching consequences for national security, social policy, and Ukrainians abroad who seek to maintain ties with their homeland. Overall, the process has been delayed, and unfortunately, remains open, raising concerns about the speed and effectiveness of legislative decision-making in such a critical area. The absence of a final decision from the Constitutional Court and the lack of quorum create legal uncertainty, which could impact future policies on dual citizenship, representing one of the main risks to Ukraine's state integrity and democracy.