The new citizenship law, approved by the German parliament last week, was welcomed by the Turkish diaspora for enabling dual citizenship as well as enhancing the social and political participation of immigrants.
Hidayet Yiğit, a tradesperson living in Cologne province, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he gained German citizenship in 2005 and was forced to forgo the Turkish one. He rejoiced with the new law to enable him to retake Turkish citizenship and be a dual citizen.
Saying that the current government's best decision was to approve this law, Yiğit continued: "This is a great chance for foreigners here, especially Turks. There may be around 2 million Turks who want to acquire German citizenship. Our people will show huge interest in this after the law is enacted because I believe that dual citizenship is essential for those who want to retain their rights in both countries."
Some 382 lawmakers – mostly from Chancellor Olaf Scholz's left-liberal coalition government – voted in favor of the draft law, while 234 conservative and far-right lawmakers voted against it. Twenty-three lawmakers abstained.
Germany is home to the world's biggest Turkish community overseas, with more than 3.5 million people. Turks are the largest community of migrants in Europe. Most of them are descendants of "guest workers" invited to rebuild post-war Germany.
Among the first generation that moved from Türkiye to Germany, Şefik Karagüzel underlined that Turks fought for 30 years for the right to dual citizenship.
"We see this country, Germany, as our second nation. Whether we are a citizen or not, in the case of any problem in the country, we would try to defend it, look out for it and improve it," Karagüzel said, indicating that he hoped German authorities would also ease visa procedures for Turkish citizens.
Retiree Osman Nortoğlu similarly welcomed the new law but criticized the long procedure and the years it took. "Our age is old now; it is difficult for us to go and come back to Türkiye frequently. It would have been better if the two states agreed on this earlier. My advice to the youth is that they should jump at the opportunity."
Germans, as well, appreciated the decision. Katrin Kinderdick told AA that her partner is Turkish and that she welcomed him being able to have dual citizenship after the law.
"I think this is a good development because it provides a certain flexibility; People with an immigrant background can stay longer in the country of their roots, but also in the country where they live," Kinderdick said.
Another German citizen, Haithem, said: "I have no problem with dual citizenship, that's a good thing. If people have two passports and you feel connected to two countries, why would you give up one passport if it contributes to the person somehow?"
With the new law, immigrants will have a right to German citizenship after five years of residence in the country instead of the current eight years.
For immigrants with outstanding academic or professional achievements and good language skills, this period will be reduced to three years.
The new citizenship law will also allow immigrants to hold dual citizenship or multiple nationalities, which has not been possible until now for many of those coming from outside the European Union.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has welcomed the vote, saying that it was an important reform step as part of the government's efforts to modernize the laws on immigration.
"We are creating a modern immigration legislation that will meet the requirements of our diverse society. It was high time to do this," the Social Democrat politician said.
She also criticized far-right politicians for distorting public debates about migration and carrying out racist propaganda against immigrants for many years.
"These debates have taken place on the backs of people who have lived and worked in Germany for many years but have never been allowed to belong here fully. Our reform shows them: You belong to Germany!" Faeser said.
She also underlined that reforming the citizenship law will help Germany address the shortage of skilled workers, attracting qualified specialists and professionals from abroad.
"We are in the middle of a global competition for the best brains. We urgently need skilled workers in many areas of our economy. We will only attract the best minds if they can become a full part of our society in the foreseeable future, with all their democratic rights," Faeser said.
Currently, around 12 million people in Germany – around 14% of the total population – do not possess German citizenship. About 5.3 million of them have been living in the country for at least 10 years, according to official figures.
Many of them had been reluctant to apply for German citizenship in the past due to tedious bureaucratic procedures, strict regulations and restrictions on holding dual citizenship.
