Denmark limits the number of ‘non-Western’ residents in neighborhoods to 30%

Denmark limits the number of ‘non-Western’ residents in neighborhoods to up to 30 per cent to ‘reduce the risk from parallel religious and cultural associations’.

The Social Democratic government made the news on Wednesday, removing the controversial ‘ghetto’ term in the proposed legislation when referring to the country’s ‘poor neighbors’.

In the bill – a revision of existing legislation on the fight against parallel societies – the interior ministry recommended that a proportion of residents of ‘non-Western’ origin be in each neighborhood limited to a maximum of 30 percent within 10 years.

Denmark has been in favor of one of the most restrictive immigration policies in Europe, which Social Democratic Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has pursued since coming to power in June 2019 amid growing opposition from right side.

According to Interior Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek, too many foreign countries outside the West in one region ‘increases the risk of the emergence of parallel religious and cultural associations,’ he said in a statement.

He said, however, that the term ‘ghetto’, which was used to denote unfair neighbors, would be removed from the new legislation.

‘The term ghetto is deceptive … I think it adds to the focus of the big work that needs to be done in those neighborhoods,’ he said.

To date, the term has been used legally to denote any neighborhood of more than 1,000 people where more than half were of ‘non-Western’ origin, and which met at least two of four criteria.

The four criteria are: over 40 per cent of residents are unemployed; more than 60 per cent of 39-50 year olds do not receive secondary education; crime rates three times higher than national average; Residents ’total income is 55 percent lower than the regional average.

Fifteen Danish neighbors are currently in this region, with a further 25 considered ‘at risk’. The list is updated every December.

In these neighborhoods, misbehavior carries twice the legal penalties elsewhere, and day care is mandatory for all children older than one or family allowances are waived.

Existing legislation also calls for council homes in these areas to be reduced to 40 per cent of available housing by 2030.

The bill will be debated by Danish political parties and is expected to pass, although no date has been set for the vote.

According to Statistics Denmark, 11 per cent of 5.8 million Danish residents are of foreign origin, and 58 per cent of these are from a country considered ‘non-Western’.

Earlier this month, Denmark became the first European country to tell Syrian migrants that they must return to their home country, saying it is now safe for them there.

The Scandinavian country removed 94 Syrian refugees from their residence permits after proving that Damascus and the surrounding area were safe.

Migrants will be sent to export camps, but will not be able to leave. But rights groups say the government is trying to give migrants an alternative but to return to Syria on their own.

Danish immigration minister Mattias Tesfaye said last month that the country had been ‘open and honest from the start’ with refugees coming from Syria.

‘We have made it clear to the Syrian refugees that their residence permit is temporary. It can be removed if protection is no longer needed, ‘he said, according to the Daily Telegraph.

His comments came as Denmark expanded the parts of Syria that were considered safe for repatriation, including the southern Rif Dimashq Government.

‘We need to protect people for as long as it is needed. But when the situation improves, the refugee should return home and restore life there, ‘he said.

The Danish Social Democratic Party has taken a strong stand against immigration to try to stop challenges from right-wing parties.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has pledged to target ‘zero’ asylum seekers applying for residence in the country.