The proposed rollback of expedited naturalization for highly integrated immigrants by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has drawn sharp condemnation from Katharina Dröge, parliamentary group leader for the Green Party, who accuses the SPD of demonstrating a “lack of backbone and political disorientation”. In an interview with “T-Online”, Dröge lambasted the decision, formerly a policy championed by the SPD themselves, as a grave misstep with significant consequences for Germany’s economic competitiveness.
Dröge argued the maneuver sends a “fatal signal” both to the German economy and to the nation’s standing as a welcoming destination for skilled migrants. At a time when global competition for talent is intensifying, she insists that Germany requires a posture of openness, not exclusion. She fiercely defended the previous “traffic light” coalition government’s reforms, which were explicitly designed to enhance the country’s appeal to qualified professionals seeking to contribute to the German workforce. Reversing this progress, she warned, actively damages the economy and undermines the nation’s long-term viability.
The Green Party politician further accused the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of exploiting a politically charged narrative surrounding immigration to advance its own agenda, a tactic she believes ultimately harms everyone. Dröge contends that the CDU’s actions are ideologically driven and fundamentally contradict the proclaimed goal of supporting economic growth, creating a potentially damaging disconnect between political rhetoric and practical economic realities. The move, she implies, risks portraying Germany as less desirable for skilled workers, jeopardizing critical expertise and hindering future economic prosperity.