Thu Oct 09 04:52:29 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**Germany Scraps Fast-Track Citizenship Program Amidst Low Uptake and Political Pressure**
**BERLIN** – Germany has ended its fast-track citizenship program, which allowed highly qualified foreigners to apply for citizenship after three years of residency. The Bundestag voted down the measure, which had been in place since 2024, following an election promise made by Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union.
The program, intended to attract skilled workers amidst Germany’s declining population, saw surprisingly low participation, with a survey by German media finding fewer than 1,000 applicants nationwide. According to ARD Capital Studio, a mere 573 people in Berlin applied since 2024, representing just over 1% of all citizenship applications.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt justified the repeal, arguing the program devalued German citizenship. “The German passport must be available as recognition for successful integration and not as an incentive for illegal migration,” he stated.
The repeal was supported by the far-right AfD, the largest opposition party known for its anti-immigration stance. The party, which doubled its seats in the Bundestag in the recent federal election, has previously called for “mass deportations” of immigrants. Ferat Kocak from The Left party criticized the government, accusing them of legitimizing “AfD’s hatred.”
The fast-track program, part of a series of citizenship reforms introduced by former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, required applicants to demonstrate high German language proficiency and proof of integration. While this program has been scrapped, other reforms from the Scholz era remain in place. These include reducing the standard residency requirement for citizenship from eight to five years and relaxing rules on dual citizenship. Standard citizenship applicants must still demonstrate mid-level German language skills and the ability to financially support themselves and their families.
First Piper 