CDU proposal to change citizenship rules.

Clearer picture

@TominStuttgart

What is unclear is the possible exceptions to the no non-EU citizens being naturalized without renunciation of their previous citizenship. One of the arguements for having dropped this requirement was that there were so many exceptions that it was no longer fair to the people who it applied to. Only around half of the people naturalizing had to do so in recent years before the requirement was dropped. Will these exceptions be reinstated?

Citizens of most of the troubled countries that qualified for refugee status were exempt. It was argued that they might not have really left their country voluntarily and under new conditions they might want to return and still be able to. Yet these are the ones most targeted by the AfD as not really integerated well enough to hold German citizenship. Such collective condemnation of a group is not warranted but has some basis in truth that a troubling number of individuals might fit the stereotype.

And I also asked myself if the laxing of the rules was well considered. It was sold as being needed to recruit needed foreign workers with critical skills. But the way to attract such people is to pay well. Having a pathway to citizenship is appropraite but not sure why it should really be fast-tracked. Should it really be a reward for one’s job skills - or rather based on one’s integration and ties to Germany. And even then, why make it easier for everyone?

I’m not sure if raising the level of German to B2 rather than B1 is really needed but I’ve meet plenty of people who passed the B1 test, only needing a score of 60%, who really couldn’t hold a good conversation. Much of the test is subjectively graded and people might often be given the benefit of the doubt. I honestly didn’t think such a 60% grade should qualify. I had a 97% on the B1 test, only points lost were for the first audio comprehension question because I am hard of hearing and seated in the back and couldn’t hear the question – and then demanded to be reseated. Yet I have never taken advanced courses so don’t know how well I would do on a B2 test with my current level – although I know people that have passed C1 who are less fluent than myself. I’m thinking the B1 just needs to be graded a bit harder and the passing level raised to 70 or 75%.

The citizenship test is also controversial. I found it way too easy. I took a a trial test beforehand and got 100%. It is multiple choice; usually 2 of the 4 possible answers being nonsensical. This means one could rule those out and randomly guess and still likely get 50% right. The other thing is that all of the possible questions, with answers, are posted in the internet. At least for someone who is used to multiple question tesing from school or university, how could they not pass having been given the answers in advance?

The other thing is that  knowing one has freedom of religion or that forced marriage or female circumcision is forbidden doesn’t mean one will  abide by the rules. Awareness of laws is just a start. Not much good if people are determined to ignore rules even if they know them. Thus the citizenship test does little to guarantee integration, at most it merely shows people have basic awareness of the laws and culture.

Seems to me that most of the proposed changes to the citizenship laws won’t necessarily solve the real problems of immigration, to which most people are in agreement with. The law enforcement and judicial systems needs to effectively prevent and/or prosecute law breakers and if non-citizens acting serially criminal or commiting a major crime - then jail and/or deport them. To collectively punish whole groups or refusing asylum to legitimate refugees, which is the clear intention of the AfD proposals, is not the answer.

The pathway to citizenship needs to be protected for honest hard working people who integrate and contribute to society. And the reversing on allowing multiple citizenships is a real burden. I had residency in Germany for well over 20 years before I naturalized. Not that I didn’t intend to stay but renouncing my American citizenship could have meant having difficulty to go back and visit family; possibly needing to get a visa and scrutinized to do so. I thus waited until I had the option to naturalize without renunciation. My tip to people thinking of natualizing and wanting to retain their current non-EU citizenship is to do it as soon as possible before it is too late.

radical right-wing and science-denial AfD party got by far the most votes

@TominStuttgart

While the information in your post may be interesting to many, spare us the propaganda  (first part of the quote).  The second part of the quote shows that you know that the tide is turning against accepting the propaganda most influencers such as you try to instill in peoples` head. 

I just returned from Germany.  It is amazing how desinformation still is running rampant and sadly how many residents still believe in what they are fed every day.  But it is steadily becoming less, see the vote in Sachsen-Anhalt, the truth will eventually prevail, it did in the GDR, at least around the fall of the Berlin Wall, now it is necessary for the Federal Republic of Germany too.

@TominStuttgart

The pathway to citizenship needs to be protected for honest hard working people who integrate and contribute to society. And the reversing on allowing multiple citizenships is a real burden.

agreed, but only for those.  Even if many "applicants for asylum" are not serial criminals that does not mean that they are either falling in the category above or are truly fleeing persecution.  Germany does not need the border policies of Merkel or Biden.