Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has accused the Berlin Immigration Office (LEA) of taking the wrong approach to naturalization and criticized in particular the fact that migrants can only submit their applications for naturalization digitally.
“Naturalization also requires that the applicant commits to the free democratic basic order and declares that they do not pursue any anti-constitutional aspirations,” Dobrindt told the Bild newspaper (Tuesday).
Every applicant must "acknowledge their special historical responsibility, especially for the protection of Jewish life," the minister emphasized. "I can hardly imagine that this will work without a personal interview," Dobrindt added. "The accuracy of the examination can be the only yardstick, not a supposed quota achievement," said Dobrindt, referring to reports that the LEA has asked its staff to double the number of naturalizations to 40,000 this year.
According to the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden, a total of 291,955 foreigners were naturalized in Germany last year. Compared to the previous year, the number rose by 91,860 naturalizations, or 46 percent, to a record high since statistics were introduced in 2000. One reason for the high number was the reform of citizenship law with shortened naturalization periods last year.
As per data from statistics office, around 28 percent of the new citizens came from Syria. They were followed at a considerable distance by people of Turkish nationality (8 percent), as well as Iraqi (5 percent), Russian (4 percent), and Afghan (3 percent) nationalities.
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