A record 290,000 people received German citizenship, the number of Russians increased sixfold
The number of people who received German citizenship increased by almost 50% in 2024, reaching a new record, Bloomberg reports.
More than 290,000 people received German citizenship, significantly more than the approximately 210,000 in 2023.
The largest number of them are Syrians, who number 83,000. There has also been a significant increase in the naturalization of Russians – their number has increased more than sixfold to almost 13,000.
This increase is due to the reform of citizenship laws introduced by the country's previous government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Under current rules, the procedure for obtaining German citizenship has become faster. For example, the residence period for applying has been reduced from eight to five years, and for well-integrated individuals, it has been reduced to three years.
However, the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his coalition have already announced their intention to abolish the accelerated naturalization procedure.
Minister of Internal Affairs Oleksandr Dobrindt explained this decision as a desire to "reduce pull factors" and bring order to migration processes.
It is also a response to political pressure, as voter concerns about irregular migration have contributed to the rise in support for the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany party, which advocates for limiting immigration.
- In June, the monthly investor sentiment survey conducted by Sentix recorded signs of economic recovery in Germany and the eurozone.
