(MENAFN) Germany’s parliament voted on Wednesday to repeal the "fast-track citizenship" process for immigrants, enacting a contentious new law spearheaded by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc.

The legislation marks a significant change in Germany’s approach to naturalization, reflecting a broader push for tighter immigration control.

The updated policy now enforces a uniform five-year residency requirement for anyone applying for German citizenship.

This replaces the earlier provision that allowed immigrants with outstanding integration achievements to apply after just three years.

Parliamentarians from Chancellor Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), along with their coalition partners the Social Democrats (SPD) and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), voted to endorse the measure.

The revised law introduces tougher prerequisites for naturalization, aligning with the conservative coalition’s emphasis on structured integration.

“Naturalization must come at the end of the integration process, not at the beginning,” declared Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt during the conclusive debate in the Bundestag.

“The German passport must be available as recognition for successful integration and not as an incentive for illegal migration,” he added.

The SPD, which originally implemented the fast-track naturalization during a previous term in government, conceded to the changes as part of the compromises required to establish a governing coalition with Merz’s conservative alliance earlier this year.

Sonja Eichwede, deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group, defended the decision, pointing out that fast-track citizenship had only been granted in limited cases.

She highlighted that during coalition talks in April, her party succeeded in persuading the Christian Democrats to retain the “dual citizenship” provision for immigrants — a priority she argued outweighed keeping the expedited pathway.

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