Rep. Michele Bachmann a Swiss citizen

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WASHINGTON, May 9 (UPI) -- Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who now holds dual Swiss-U.S. citizenship, told a Swiss broadcaster Tuesday that running for office there would be difficult.

Bachmann was interviewed in Washington by a Swiss public television station, Politico reported Tuesday. She was with a group of Swiss legislators.

While she has been in Congress for more than five years and ran a long-shot presidential campaign, Bachmann suggested she has no plans to seek office in Switzerland. Pointing to the lawmakers behind her, she said the competition "would be very stiff because they are very good."

Bachman automatically became a Swiss citizen in March with her husband, Marcus.

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

The Bachmanns' three youngest children acquired Swiss citizenship automatically, while the two oldest children can apply for it on a fast track.