Michele Bachmann renounces Swiss citizenship just one day after announcing her filing

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The Former Presidential candidate said she retracted filing to demonstrate commitment to US
Congresswoman is eligible for dual nationality after marriage to Swiss husband in 1978

Published: 17:10 EST, 10 May 2012 | Updated: 18:44 EST, 10 May 2012

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Former Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmannis giving up her citizenship in Switzerland, one day after announcing her filing with her three youngest children.

In a statement released Thursday, the Minnesota congresswoman said she sent a letter to the Swiss Consulate asking for withdrawal of her citizenship in an effort to make clear she is 100 percent committed to the United States.

'I took this action because I want to make it perfectly clear: I was born in America and I am a proud American citizen. I am, and always have been, 100 percent committed to our United States Constitution and the United States of America,' she wrote on her website.

Dual citizenship: Michele, pictured with her husband Dr Marcus Bachmann, has written to revoke her filing for Swiss nationality that was announced earlier this week

On Wednesday Mrs Bachmann called her filing 'a non-story' that had existed for over 30 years.

'I automatically became a dual citizen of the United States and Switzerland in 1978 when I married my husband, Marcus. Marcus is a dual American and Swiss citizen because he is the son of Swiss immigrants. As a family, we just recently updated our documents,' she said.

'...I have never exercised any rights of that citizenship,' she continued, 'Rather, I have always pledged allegiance to our one nation under God, the United States of America. We live in the greatest nation humankind has ever known and I am proud to be an American.'

A spokesman at the Swiss embassy said Mrs Bachmann activated that citizenship in March.

'...recently some of their children wanted to exercise their eligibility for dual-citizenship so they went through the process as a family,' said Mrs Bachmann's press secretary Becky Rogness, speaking of three of the Bachmann's five children.

There's no word on whether her children will continue with their filing or have revoked it as well.

Togetherness: Marcus and Michele Bachmann, right, have raised five children- as well as 23 foster kids - and decided to go for Swiss citizenship as a family

Immediately after announcing her filing this week, questions rose on why the congresswoman never announced her dual citizenship while running for either her Minnesota chair or the White House this past year.

'It wasn’t necessary to disclose, because she is an American citizen and always has been,' Ms Rogness told POLITICO on Wednesday evening. 'She has a United States birth certificate and a United States passport.'

Speculative questions also arose on whether the failed presidential nominee and politician currently running for re-election in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District would turn and run for office in Switzerland.

In an interview with Swiss television, Mrs Bachmann laughed when asked of her political intentions overseas.

'There's a lot of competition ... and it would be very stiff because they are very good,' she said.

Secrets: Concern arose this week on why Mrs Bachmann never mentioned her dual citizenship during her run for the White House or Minnesota congress. Seen campaigning here in September

Christian counsellor Dr Marcus Bachmann, 55, met his wife at a Minnesota university and they have been involved in politics since working together on Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign in 1976.

Dr Bachmann is president of Bachmann & Associates, a Christian counselling firm based in Lake Elmo and Burnsville - two cities around 30 miles apart in Minnesota.

He has been a clinical therapist for more than 20 years after studying at Winona State University in Minnesota, Regent University in Virginia and Union Institute and University in Ohio.

They have raised five children and 23 foster children together.

Mrs Bachmann’s hardline approach throughout her campaign on issues from gay marriage to energy-saving light bulbs saw her win support from the far-right wing but in the end she was seen as little more than a fringe candidate.

She ended her run for the White House in January after a disastrous sixth-place showing in the Iowa caucus.