Chancellor Olaf Scholz has spoken out in favor of reforming citizenship law. Germany needs “better regulations” for naturalization, said the SPD politician in his video message “Kanzler compact”.
According to Scholz, the men and women and sometimes children who have come to Germany over the past few decades have played a major role in making the German economy so strong. “Some have lived here for a very, very long time and have children and grandchildren. And that’s why it’s very good if those who have lived with us for so long also decide to acquire German citizenship.”
The SPD, Greens and FDP had agreed in their coalition agreement that foreigners in Germany could more easily obtain German citizenship. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) is now driving the issue forward.
Scholz: Germany for many “land of hope”
Scholz said that many people had emigrated from Germany over many centuries. “It has been different for many decades. Germany has become a country that is the land of hope for many.”
It was always very touching for him to take part in naturalization ceremonies during his time as Hamburg mayor, says Scholz. “Many of them were there with all their families and friends, put on their best suits and dresses and were very touched by the moment they received our citizenship. And together we always ended the event by singing the national anthem. Germany needs better regulations for the naturalization of all these great women and men.”
Draft law to facilitate citizenship
A draft law by the Ministry of the Interior provides that people in particular who have already lived in this country for several years can become German citizens more easily. Instead of the previous eight years, you should be able to obtain citizenship after five years of residence in Germany. In the case of “special integration achievements”, this should even be possible after three years – for example if immigrants have shown special academic or professional achievements or voluntary commitment or have particularly good language skills.
The Turkish community welcomed the planned reform of the citizenship law. The initiative is a “paradigm shift,” said chairman Gökay Sofuoglu to the editorial network Germany (RND/Saturday). “German citizenship law no longer reflects today’s reality; it has to be tackled from the ground up,” he says. It is also about achieving a certain level of equality and thus enabling more people to participate in politics.
Criticism from the Union
The Union, on the other hand, criticized the reform plans. CSU regional group head Alexander Dobrindt told the “Bild” newspaper: “Bargaining German citizenship does not promote integration, but has the exact opposite purpose and will trigger additional pull effects in illegal migration.” The CDU member of the Bundestag and interior expert Stefan Heck spoke of an “inflationary issue of German passports”, which contained enormous social explosives. Faeser had to stop the plans, he demanded.
The Union could achieve changes in the reform through the Federal Council, as was the case recently with citizen income.
