The Junge Union is calling for significantly stricter rules for becoming a citizen in Germany. In a paper submitted for the CDU’s federal convention in Stuttgart in February, the party’s youth wing demands that many of the reforms introduced during the traffic‑light coalition be largely rolled back. The “Handelsblatt” (Tuesday edition) reports on the document.
Key points of the proposal:
” “Residence period:” The required continuous stay before citizenship should be raised again from the current five years to eight years. The Ju states that the 2024 reform sent the wrong signals and eroded trust, emphasizing that citizenship must conclude a true integration process, which five years often fails to ensure.
” “Language requirement:” The minimum language level should be removed from B1 and set to B2. The paper argues that without solid German language skills, genuine integration is impossible.
” “Social and value criteria:” Citizenship should be granted only to those who accept the core principles of the constitution, such as gender equality, basic rights including religious freedom, and a rejection of antisemitism and racism. Individuals who deny Israel’s right to exist or reject equality would be excluded from naturalisation.