Immigrants to Germany Must Recognize Israel’s Right to Exist To Receive German Citizenship

On June 27, 2024, Germany implemented significant changes to its citizenship laws, broadening access to German nationality.

“Anyone who shares our values and makes an effort can now obtain a German passport more quickly and no longer has to relinquish part of their identity by renouncing their old nationality,” said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Tuesday. She added, “However, we have also made it equally clear: those who do not share our values cannot obtain a German passport. We have drawn a clear red line here and made the law much stricter than before.”

One major change in Germany’s immigration policy is that citizenship applicants must now formally acknowledge and affirm Israel’s legitimacy as a sovereign nation. This new requirement mandates that individuals seeking German nationality explicitly recognize the State of Israel’s right to exist as part of the application process.

The German Interior Ministry confirmed on Tuesday that “New test questions have been added on the topics of antisemitism, the right of the State of Israel to exist, and Jewish life in Germany.”

In a departure from previous restrictions, which allowed dual citizenship only for EU and Swiss nationals or in exceptional circumstances, the widespread acceptance of dual citizenship represents a major shift in Germany’s naturalization approach. This new policy could potentially increase the number of individuals eligible for German citizenship.

Social Democrat Faeser highlighted several factors influencing the citizenship reform: growing antisemitism, heightened tensions surrounding Israel’s conflict with Hamas, and the rising appeal of anti-immigration right-wing ideologies. In response to these challenges, Berlin has reframed its citizenship overhaul, emphasizing a stricter assessment of applicants’ commitment to German values and principles.