Germany’s Bundestag adopts new law eases the conditions for obtaining citizenship and expands the possibility of holding two citizenship
On Friday, German representatives adopted a law that eases the conditions for obtaining citizenship and expands the possibility of holding two citizenship, to significantly reduce the labor shortage experienced by the largest economic power in Europe.
It will now be possible to apply for German citizenship, after five years of residence in the country instead of the current eight years, according to this text, which is supported by the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and approved by the German Bundestag.
The law will open the way for more people to obtain dual citizenship, which represents an opportunity for the large Turkish community in Germany, which includes about 1.5 million people.
Chancellor Scholz said, “In the United States, it’s completely normal to call someone German-American… I think this feeling of being German and Italian or German and Turkish corresponds to the reality of many of our citizens in this country… Acknowledging this shows respect”.
Dual citizenship has so far been limited to citizens of the European Union and Switzerland, with some other practical exceptions from outside the European Union.
For her part, Social Democratic Interior Minister Nancy Faeser confirmed, after the law was passed, that “our reform is crucial to the German economic situation… We’re in the midst of a global competition to attract the best minds”.
“We urgently need skilled workers in many sectors of our economy,” she added.
Germany, with a population of about 82 million people, is witnessing demographic aging, which exacerbates labor shortage problems.
