Germany Abolishes Underutilized Fast-Track Citizenship Program

Germany has ended its fast-track citizenship program, which allowed highly qualified foreigners to apply for citizenship after three years of residence instead of five. Introduced in 2024, the program saw minimal uptake—573 applicants in Berlin and small numbers in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg—and was politically unpopular. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt argued it devalued German citizenship and encouraged illegal migration. The repeal was supported by the far-right AfD, while critics accused the government of normalizing anti-immigration sentiment. Other citizenship reforms, like reduced residency requirements and relaxed dual citizenship rules, remain in place.