Becoming a German citizen becomes easier
A bill on the citizenship process in the FRG is "almost ready".
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for reforms to the citizenship rules and suggested making the procedure much easier, writes Politico.
According to him, naturalization needs better rules. Scholz said that the newcomers to the country are of great benefit, as they contribute to the state's prosperity:
Because all these women and men are contributing to a strong economy, it will be good if they also choose German citizenship
The Chancellor emphasised the integral role immigrants have played in rebuilding and strengthening Germany:
Germany has been a land of hope for many. The women and men and sometimes children who have come to Germany have contributed enormously to making our economy as strong as it is today
Changing the rules on citizenship is one of the reforms that the three-party coalition promised when it came to power in December 2021.
The Interior Ministry is known to be preparing a bill that would allow foreigners living in Germany to apply for naturalisation after five years instead of eight.
According to the German Interior Ministry's data of 21 November, to which the editorial board refers, there are currently 1,027,789 Ukrainian refugees in Germany