Naser Khader facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Naser Khader
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| Member of the Folketing | |
| In office 18 June 2015 – 1 November 2022 |
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| Constituency | Zealand (from 2019) East Jutland (2015—2019) |
| In office 20 November 2001 – 15 September 2011 |
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| Constituency | Copenhagen (2007—2011) Østre (2001—2007) |
| Leader of New Alliance | |
| In office 7 May 2007 – 5 January 2009 |
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| Succeeded by | Anders Samuelsen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 July 1963 Damascus, Syria |
| Nationality | Danish |
| Political party | Independent (2021–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Social Liberal Party (1984–2007) New Alliance (2007–2009) Conservative People's Party (2009–2021) |
| Domestic partner | Bente Dalsbæk (until 2010) |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Senior Fellow of Hudson Institute Middle East expert and TV commentator Radio host |
| Profession | Cand.polit. |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Khader.dk |
Naser Khader (born 1 July 1963) is a Syrian-Danish politician. He was a member of the Folketing, which is Denmark's parliament, from 2001 to 2011 and again from 2015 to 2022. For many years, he was part of the Conservative People's Party.
Khader was first elected to parliament in 2001 with the Danish Social Liberal Party. In 2007, he started a new party called New Alliance, which later became Liberal Alliance. His new party won five seats in the 2007 national elections. After some challenges, the party changed, and Khader joined the Conservative People's Party in 2009. He lost his seat in 2011 but was re-elected in 2015. In 2021, he left the Conservative People's Party and decided not to run for re-election.
Naser Khader is known for introducing the idea of the "24-year rule" in 2000. This rule was added to Danish immigration law to help prevent forced marriages. He also helped create "Democratic Muslims" in 2008 to promote freedom of speech and support moderate Muslims. In 2023, Khader became a Christian. He also suggested a ban on the burqa, which became law in 2018. He is considered one of the most influential Danes of the 20th century.
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Early Life and Family Background
Naser Khader's father was Palestinian, and his mother was Syrian. He grew up in a small village near Damascus, Syria. His father, who was a Palestinian refugee, found it hard to get a good job in Syria.
Naser Khader was named after the Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. His father moved to Europe in the 1960s. Naser joined his father in 1974, moving from his village in Syria to Copenhagen, Denmark. He finished high school in 1983.
Political Journey and Key Ideas
Naser Khader was first elected to the Danish parliament in 2001.
The 24-Year Rule
In 2000, Naser Khader proposed the idea of a "24-year rule." He wrote in his book, 'Khader.dk', that this rule should be part of Danish immigration law. Its main goal was to stop forced marriages. This rule became law in 2002.
The 24-year rule has been a big part of Danish politics for over ten years. A report in 2023 showed that it has led to fewer family reunifications. It also found that young women who grew up after the rule became law tend to marry later, have children later, and get a better education. They are also more likely to marry someone they met in Denmark.
Freedom of Speech and Cartoons
In 2006, Naser Khader received an award for freedom of expression from the newspaper Jyllands-Posten. This newspaper had published cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Some people in Denmark who practiced Islam had negative feelings towards him because of this.
Starting a New Political Party
Naser Khader was a member of the Danish Social Liberal Party for many years. However, in May 2007, he left the party to create his own, called New Alliance.
He explained that he felt his old party was too naive, especially during the cartoon controversy. He believed they were too quick to criticize the newspaper but not the strong reactions to the cartoons in the Middle East. Khader felt that democratic values should always come before religion or culture. He believed that democracy includes everyone, while religion and culture can sometimes exclude people with different views.
In the national election in November 2007, New Alliance won five seats in parliament. This was the first time a new party had entered parliament since 1987. In 2009, the party changed its name to Liberal Alliance. After a short time as an independent, Khader joined the Conservative People's Party in March 2009.
The Burqa Ban
In 2009, Khader first suggested a complete ban on the burqa. He saw it as "un-Danish" and a way of "oppressing women." He believed it was an important step for integration.
It took several years, but in May 2018, Danish lawmakers approved a law that banned clothing covering the face, including Islamic veils like the niqab and burqa. This law, often called the "Burqa Ban," was strongly supported by Khader.
Supporting Defense Spending
From 2018, Naser Khader was the Chairman of the Danish Parliament's Defense Committee. He strongly supported the Wales Pledge. This pledge aimed to increase defense spending to 2% of a country's total economic output (GDP).
Leaving Active Politics
Naser Khader was not re-elected in the 2011 Danish general elections. He then worked as a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute. He successfully ran for parliament again in 2015. In August 2021, Khader left the Conservative People's Party and continued as an independent member of parliament. He also announced that he would not run for re-election in the future.
Honours
Order of the Dannebrog, Knight
