By Gunnar Schupelius
The federal government is significantly shortening the period for acquiring German citizenship. Good reasons for this have not yet been given, says Gunnar Schupelius.
The federal government wants to make naturalization possible after five or even three years. Foreigners can currently apply for German citizenship after eight years of residence in the country.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said: “Women and men who immigrated to Germany have contributed a lot to the fact that the economy is so strong. Germany needs better rules for the naturalization of all these great women and men.”
It may be that we need better rules, but Scholz did not justify why the “great women and men” have to be naturalized faster than before. Why the rush? What are the disadvantages of the rules now in force?
There is also no argument for this in the federal government’s coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP from 2021. On the contrary, it says: “We will advertise with a campaign about the possibilities of acquiring German citizenship.”
That’s confusing: If the government thinks it has to promote naturalization, the demand for the German passport can’t be all that great. So why does naturalization have to be accelerated?
In fact, many foreigners are reluctant to answer this question, as the experiences in Berlin show.
Eight years ago, the Senate took the path that the federal government now wants to take. The then Senator for Integration, Dilek Kolat (SPD), launched an advertising campaign in April 2013: “Your city. Your country. your passport.”
The campaign fizzled out, and the number of applications for naturalization did not increase significantly.
It has stayed that way. In 2021, 11,309 applications for German citizenship were made in Berlin. A little later, in May 2022, the Governing Mayor Giffey (SPD) put the number of people living in Berlin who are entitled to a German passport at 800,000. This means that 788,691 people in Berlin could get a German passport, him but don’t want it at all.
Apparently nobody knows why that is.
It is always said that many foreigners did not want to give up their old citizenship. That is why dual citizenship should now be allowed.
That might be a good idea, but that doesn’t mean the deadline for naturalization has to be shortened. The SPD, Greens and FDP remain guilty of arguments for this.
The problems that could arise are also not addressed: Whoever gets the German passport has the right to vote, they have to commit themselves to democracy, justice and the law without any ifs or buts.
But that’s not so easy when you come from a political, cultural and religious environment that is completely alien to democracy and law. This includes the entire Middle East except Israel. This can be a lengthy process, taking more than three or five years.
The German passport is a guarantee for freedom, human rights, co-determination, it is really very valuable. The federal government gives the impression that they want to sell him below value.
Is Gunnar Schupelius right? Call: 030/2591 73153 or email: [email protected]