Germany Breaks Citizenship Record, New Government Moves to Reverse Reforms

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Germany has granted a record number of citizenships in 2024, with 249,901 foreigners receiving German passports in just 13 of the 16 federal states. The figure surpasses the previous all-time high of 200,095 in 2023.

The spike follows a 2023 citizenship reform by the former coalition, which allowed dual nationality and shortened the required residency period from eight to five years. The policy was part of the Social Democratic Party’s (SPD) vision to make Germany a “modern immigration country.”

However, the new CDU-SPD coalition is now rolling back parts of that reform, targeting the so-called “turbo citizenship” rule, which allowed naturalization after just three years for highly integrated applicants. Critics from the conservative CDU argue that this policy is “symbolic” and does not reflect “everyday reality.”

Though the law technically allowed citizenship after as little as three years, practical application was limited. For example, only 382 people in Berlin benefited from accelerated naturalization, while most states reported only single-digit figures—or none at all.

The German Cities Association attributes the surge largely to long-time residents from Syria and Turkey, especially those who arrived during the 2015–2016 refugee wave. Dual citizenship and the removal of the requirement to renounce one’s original nationality also played a key role.

The new government’s cabinet approved a draft law to revoke “turbo citizenship” last Wednesday, signaling a shift toward tighter immigration and citizenship policies.

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• #GermanPassports