Tina Turner Renounces U.S. Citizenship

It was revealed today that Tina Turner is renouncing her U.S. citizenship to become Swiss!

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Turner, 73, has lived in the Zurich suburb of Kuesnacht since the mid-1990s and speaks fluent German.

The local Zuerichsee-Zeitung newspaper claimed on its website the local council announced its decision to grant Turner citizenship in an official notice published in Friday's edition.

The decision still demands formal approval from state and federal authorities.

Turner told a local German newspaper: "I'm very happy in Switzerland and I feel at home here. I cannot imagine a better place to live."

Her agent revealed to Zuerichsee-Zeitung that Turner wanted to "clarify her situation".

"Tina Turner will therefore also give back her US citizenship," she was quoted as saying.



Needless to say that Tina Turner's move has sparked rumors she is following in Gerard Depardieu's footsteps, who  renounced his French citizenship because of the country's high taxes. (Depardieu was promptly offered Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin).

Forbes explains of Turner's move: "There's little to suggest taxes motivate the decision, and Swiss rates are high."

The mayor of Tina's hometown in Brownsville, Tennessee, admitted he was shocked at the news.






"Tina Turner - as she has gotten worldwide fame - has never forgotten her roots," Mayor Jo Matherne revealed to Fox. "We've been in recent contact with some of her people talking about some projects we have in Brownsville."

"I think anytime a person, whether they're world-renowned or the most meek and mild, makes the decision to change their citizenship we need to step back and think what causes that decision," Matherne added.



What do you think of Tina Turner's swap?

 
Photo credit: Getty Images


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