The German parliament has abolished a fast-track citizenship option that was previously available to exceptionally well-integrated migrants.
This decision particularly reflects that rapidly shifting mood in Europe’s labour-hungry economic powerhouse.
Meanwhile this move was driven by the chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives pledge in this year’s election campaign to rescind the legislation which allowed people deemed “exceptionally well-integrated” to gain citizenship in three years instead of five.
In this connection, Interior minister Alexander Dibrindt told parliament, “A German passport must come as recognition of a successful integration process and not act as an incentive for illegal immigration.”
Meanwhile, the core of the new citizenship law, a major achievement of the previous Social Democrat-liberal-Green government under Chancellor Olaf, will remain intact despite previous pledges by the current government to undo innovations like dual citizenship and the reduction of the waiting period from eight years to five.
Out of 2024’s record 300,000 naturalizations, only a few hundred came through the fast-track option which was originally planned as an incentive for highly skilled individuals to settle in Germany, which suffers from acute labour shortages.
Nonetheless, attitudes towards immigration have been deeply embittered in Germany because of the strain of high migration levels placed on local services. This shift helped drive the party Alternative for Germany to reach first place in some polls.