The citizenship test, harder than it seems. Andrei Caramitru: “Most voters would not be able to pass the exam”
Economist Andrei Caramitru states that the exam to obtain Romanian citizenship would be too difficult even for many of the Romanians born and educated here. The statement comes after the mayor of Timisoara, Dominic Fritz, said that he is studying for the naturalization test, which includes more than 400 questions in history, geography and culture.
Andrei Caramitru suggests the introduction of an exam for voting PHOTO: Inquam photos/ Octav Ganea
Dominic Fritz, the mayor of Timisoara, recently revealed that he is preparing intensively for the Romanian citizenship exam. He testified that the naturalization test is a complex one, requiring solid knowledge of general culture, history and geography.
“There are 400 questions, many of which are not easy at all. For example: “List two Dacian deities. List the most important Greek colonies on the Black Sea. What do you know about higher education in the Romanian provinces? Three examples of cities in Wallachia from the Middle Ages. What is the Public Ministry? List two compositions by George Enescu””Fritz said.
The mayor added that the process made him understand even better the history and culture of the country he leads: “I learn every day, and it's an experience that brings me even closer to Romania. It's not a test that many could pass without preparing“.
Caramitru: “Almost no Zuzuranist could pass the exam”
Economist Andrei Caramitru commented ironically on Fritz's post, saying that the difficulty of the citizenship test should be food for thought. “I think that almost no Zuzuranist and most of the other voters could not pass the exam to be a Romanian citizen”he wrote.
Caramitru continued in a challenging tone:Now I wonder. Wouldn't it be common sense to take an exam – how simple, not that hard though – so you can vote? At least prove that you understand something, anything even basic, about the world and the country you live in, that you can read and understand a question? That you are not completely deluded or illiterate? That you can think and choose rationally?”
What citizenship tests look like in other countries
The citizenship test is not easy in other states either. In the UK, the 'Life in the UK' test contains 24 multiple-choice questions, which candidates have to answer in 45 minutes. A score of at least 75% is required to pass.
According to the Mirror, one candidate who took the test said: “The difficult part of the test is the wide variety of topics it covers and for that reason I would be very surprised if anyone managed to pass it on the first try without studying. I had questions about the Ice Age, historical migration to the UK, Olympic champions, the Civil War, the old royal families, the Crystal Palace and the buildings attributed to Isambard Kingdom Brunel“.
In Germany, the citizenship test contains 33 questions, three of which are specific to the applicant's country of residence. Each question has four answer options, and to pass you need at least 17 correct answers. In recent years, more than 90% of candidates have managed to pass it. Questions include: “Who is the head of the Federal Republic of Germany?”, “How many federal states does Germany have?” or “What is the name of the most important German criminal law?”
In France, the citizenship test has 40 questions, which candidates must answer in a maximum of 45 minutes, with a maximum of 8 wrong answers allowed. The questions cover topics such as the symbols of the Republic, the political system, the rights and duties of citizens, secularism, but also French culture and gastronomy.
An emeritus professor of public law told Le Monde: “How many French people without five years of college are able to answer these questions? Who knows, for example, the Environmental Charter?”
