According to the media, the traffic light has agreed on a reform of the naturalization law. Basically, migrants should get the German passport faster. At the insistence of the FDP, the original draft was tightened in two points.
After long discussions, the traffic light coalition has apparently agreed on a basic reform of citizenship law. This is reported by the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (SZ), the “Bild” newspaper and the “Rheinische Post” (RP).
The reform therefore provides for a significant simplification of naturalization and integration. For example, migrants should be able to become citizens after just five years in Germany instead of the previous eight years. In the case of “special integration achievements” such as good language skills, voluntary work or very good job performance, naturalization should be possible after three years, as the “SZ” reports. The newspaper has the 49-page draft law on which Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann from the FDP have agreed.
Oral only language certificates for people over 67 years of age
Children of foreign parents who were born in Germany should also be able to become Germans more quickly. The condition: one parent must have lived legally in Germany for five years. Previously, this only applied after eight years. According to the report, Faeser wants to remove written language certificates as a requirement for seniors who are older than 67 years. Instead, they should only have to prove oral language skills in the future.
One of the far-reaching changes is that you no longer have to give up your previous citizenship. The old legal principle no longer corresponds to practice anyway, according to the paper. For years, most naturalizations have been carried out despite other nationalities.
No naturalization for certain crimes
The FDP in particular had criticized the first reform plans in November in the traffic light coalition. The revised draft now regulates more clearly that certain crimes exclude naturalization, writes the SZ, citing the FDP. Racist, inhuman or anti-Semitic actions are expressly mentioned. In the future, public prosecutors should actively report such crimes to immigration authorities in order to prevent naturalizations in such cases.
In addition, the principle that no one who is dependent on transfer payments will be naturalized will be adhered to, emphasized SPD parliamentary group leader Wiese in the RP. However, there will be regulations for hardship cases. “I’m thinking of a single mother,” said the politician. As planned, the intention is to reduce the possibility of naturalization for well-integrated people from eight to five years of residence. “Well integrated means that they speak German, can pay for themselves and their relatives, are committed to the Basic Law and of course have not committed a crime.”
The draft is to go to the federal states today
According to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, the draft is to go to the federal states and associations for a hearing today. “An agreement is within reach,” said SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Wiese of the RP. “Important questions of detail have been clarified.” The law is expected to be passed by the cabinet in the summer. “We want people who have become part of our society to be able to help shape our country democratically,” Faeser told the “SZ”.
This is also crucial “to attract the skilled workers that we urgently need”. With the reform, immigrants would no longer be forced to “give up part of their identity”. This is a “paradigm shift”.