Germany’s new government is set to abolish the provision that allows foreigners to obtain citizenship after just three years of residence. This development comes as part of the coalition agreement signed by the conservative CDU/CSU and center-left SPD, following the federal election held on February 23.
According to the coalition deal, the new administration will revise parts of Germany’s citizenship law. Under outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s leadership, the previous government had eased citizenship regulations—allowing foreign residents to apply for German citizenship after just three years, provided they demonstrated strong integration into German society.
The newly formed CDU/CSU-led coalition, however, plans to eliminate that specific three-year clause. Despite earlier discussions, the coalition is not introducing any new provisions to revoke the citizenship of dual nationals involved in criminal activities. The five-year citizenship rule will remain in place.
The now-to-be-abolished three-year citizenship rule required foreign applicants to demonstrate C1-level German language proficiency and strong evidence of integration into society. The CDU/CSU had criticized this policy, arguing that granting citizenship in such a short period could undermine the value of German nationality. Their recent election victory reflects their stance on tightening citizenship laws.
Will Dual Citizenship Remain Intact?
Olaf Scholz’s administration had also introduced the opportunity for immigrants from non-EU countries to hold dual citizenship—retaining both their native passport and a German one. Although the CDU/CSU criticized this initiative, the new coalition seems to have reached a consensus to retain the dual citizenship policy.
On Revoking Citizenship
Prior to the election, several political parties discussed revoking the citizenship of dual nationals who support terrorist organizations, promote anti-Semitism, or hold extremist views. The CDU/CSU had proposed such a move, but it was opposed by coalition partner SPD and criticized by the German Migration Association. The matter no longer appears to be a priority in the new coalition discussions.