Pope Leo is a lifelong American citizen. However as Pope, he’s additionally the chief of Vatican Metropolis, an internationally acknowledged sovereign nation. Can an American citizen lead a overseas nation? And might a Pope retain overseas citizenship?
The solutions are sure and sure — but it surely hardly ever occurs.
United States legislation permits twin citizenship. Based on the State Division, a twin citizen who turned a overseas head of state wouldn’t essentially lose American citizenship if she or he needed to maintain it.
And the Holy See lets a Pope retain different citizenships. Pope Francis retained his Argentine nationality and even renewed his Argentine passport in 2017. His two predecessors additionally retained their native citizenship.
The State Division explains on its web site that it’s going to “actively overview” instances of overseas heads of state wishing to retain American citizenship, whereas warning that such instances “elevate complicated questions of worldwide legislation,” together with ones associated to immunity from American authorized jurisdiction.
International leaders who need to retain American nationality can notify the State Division of their desire, the division says, whereas an individual who desires to surrender citizenship should inform a U.S. embassy or consulate “and comply with the required steps.”
In uncommon instances, U.S. residents have served as overseas heads of state. Somalia’s former president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, was born in Somalia however lived in the USA and have become a naturalized American citizen earlier than his 2017 election. He renounced his American citizenship two years later, amid fees of twin loyalties.
Vatican Metropolis, the place the pope resides, is ruled by the Holy See, which is taken into account a sovereign authorities. It’s acknowledged by the United Nations, though it chooses to carry everlasting observer standing there fairly than full member standing, “due primarily to the will of the Holy See to take care of absolute neutrality in particular political issues,” the Holy See’s mission to the U.N. says on its web site.
Pope Leo can also be a naturalized citizen of Peru, which permits twin citizenship. The Peruvian structure states that naturalized residents stay Peruvian so long as they preserve a residency there. It’s unclear whether or not Peru has legal guidelines relevant to a citizen turning into a overseas head of state.
The State Division didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark about Pope Leo’s circumstances, and the Vatican has not publicly indicated his plans.