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Germany’s parliament on Wednesday revoked a streamlined citizenship program, highlighting the changing attitudes toward migration in Europe’s economic powerhouse.
During this year’s election campaign, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative party committed to repealing the law that allowed highly integrated migrants to acquire German citizenship after just three years instead of the usual five.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized that a German passport should symbolize successful integration rather than serve as an enticement for illegal immigration.
The remaining provisions of the new citizenship law, a key accomplishment of former Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government, will stay in place despite conservative promises to overturn certain reforms—such as removing dual citizenship allowances and shortening the residency requirement from eight to five years.
The Social Democrats, now the junior partners in Merz’s government, defended their support, noting that few applicants utilized the fast-track process, and that the main liberalization principles remain intact.
In 2024, a record 300,000 people became citizens, but only a few hundred went through the expedited route, which was originally intended to attract highly skilled individuals to Germany amid severe labor shortages. Applicants must demonstrate notable achievements, like fluency in German, voluntary service, or professional and academic success.
Filiz Polat of the Greens stated, “Germany is competing globally to attract top talent, and if talented individuals choose Germany, we should do everything we can to retain them.”
Public sentiment toward immigration has soured considerably, partly because high migration levels have strained local services. This shift in opinion has helped propel the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to lead in some polls.
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