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May 8th, 2012
10:34 PM ET 
Bachmann a Swiss citizen? 
(CNN) - Proud American citizen Michele Bachmann now has another country to call home: Switzerland.

The Minnesota congresswoman and former GOP presidential candidate was granted dual citizenship with the European country, her spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday night.


"Congresswoman Bachmann's husband is of Swiss descent so she has been eligible for dual-citizenship since they got married in 1978," Becky Rogness said in a statement. "However, recently some of their children wanted to exercise their eligibility for dual-citizenship so they went through the process as a family."

While her husband has Swiss heritage, Bachmann wrote in her 2011 memoir that her ancestors hail from Norway (her great-great-great grandfather emigrated from the country). Her mother sang Norweigen folk songs to her as a child, she wrote, and she studied the language in college but "never had time really to gain proficiency."

Bachmann, who's running for a fourth term in the House, joins millions of Americans with dual citizenship.

According to the State Department, dual nationals "owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country" and "are required to obey the laws of both countries."

But could her new, by-marriage Swiss pride conflict with her own Norwegian roots?

Perhaps she'll stay neutral on that debate.

The story was first reported by Politico.


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