Germany’s dual citizenship law put on hold indefinitely
Monday 20, November
* This article has been amended to reflect that a debate of the citizenship law is currently being rescheduled.
Although already in its final legislative steps, Germany’s new citizenship law had been taken off the Bundestag’s agenda. Now, it appears it may be rescheduled for early December.
The law was meant to be debated for the first time in the German federal parliament on November 9. In its current form, the proposed law will allow anyone who has been a resident in Germany for just five years to apply for a German passport – a much speedier timeline than the current eight-year requirement. They will also be able to have dual citizenship and keep their original nationality. Under certain circumstances, for example when a resident has particularly advanced German language skills, they’ll only need to have lived in Germany for just three years.
It appears that a rise in anti-Semitic attacks and a greater focus on anti-Semitic ideology in Germany are behind the delay. According to FDP deputy leader Wolfgang Kubicki, more relaxed citizenship laws contradict Germany’s goal of confronting anti-Semitism.
About a month ago, Exberliner reported on statements made by CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who called for Germany’s more relaxed citizenship laws to be put on hold. Merz demanded that anyone applying for German citizenship should have to officially proclaim their belief in Israel’s right to exist, telling ZDF that “those who are unwilling to make this commitment do not belong in Germany”.
