A review of German citizenship laws is anticipated this autumn, with proposals emerging to revert a recent policy allowing naturalization after just three years of residency. Members of the conservative Union faction are advocating for a more rigorous and detailed assessment process for all citizenship applications.
According to Thomas Silberhorn, a CSU Member of Parliament and expert on interior policy, the Bundestag is expected to end the accelerated naturalization process. He emphasized the necessity of a meticulous examination of each application.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the Berlin Immigration Office’s (LEA) plan to double the number of naturalizations this year to 40,000. Silberhorn characterized this specific target as “a significant miscalculation” and stated that efforts to expedite naturalization procedures in Berlin undermine current legislation and are unacceptable.
Alexander Throm, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s spokesperson for interior policy, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the gravity of conferring German citizenship. He stressed that citizenship is a permanent status, underscoring the importance of deliberate and thorough consideration.
Hesse’s Interior Minister, Roman Poseck (CDU), similarly called for a “shift in migration policy” that includes changes to naturalization procedures. Poseck criticized the previous government’s perceived leniency in granting citizenship and maintained that the process must prioritize national interests and occur only after the successful completion of an integration process.
The move to revise citizenship laws aligns with a prior agreement between the Union and SPD parties within their coalition government, which stipulated that the three-year naturalization option would be discontinued during this legislative period.
