The proposed rollback of expedited naturalization for highly integrated immigrants has triggered a sharp rebuke from Katharina Dröge, parliamentary group leader of the Green Party, directed squarely at the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Dröge characterized the SPD’s apparent retreat from the reform, once jointly championed within the former coalition government, as demonstrating a “lack of backbone and political disorientation.
Speaking to T-Online, Dröge expressed deep concern that the policy shift sends a “fatal signal for the economy and for Germany as an immigration nation”. She argued that in an increasingly competitive global landscape for skilled labor, Germany’s strength lies in inclusivity, not exclusion. The original reform, she asserted, was demonstrably successful in enhancing the nation’s appeal to qualified foreign professionals. Reversing this progress, she predicted, will actively damage the economy and jeopardize the nation’s future prospects.
Dröge’s criticism extends beyond the SPD, accusing the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of wielding immigration policy as a political tool against individuals with migrant backgrounds, a tactic she claims ultimately harms everyone. She contends that the CDU’s actions, ostensibly framed as economic support, are driven by ideological motivations that fundamentally contradict genuine economic interests. The Green politician questioned the long-term strategic thinking underpinning the CDU’s stance, suggesting a narrow focus on short-term political gains risks undermining Germany’s long-term competitiveness and societal cohesion. The move, she implied, reflects a concerning trend of prioritizing political posturing over pragmatic solutions to critical economic challenges.
