German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt hopes that the family reunification for refugees with subsidiary protection status, which has been in effect since 2018, will end in a few weeks for at least two years. Dobrindt plans to submit a corresponding bill to the federal cabinet on Wednesday, stating that he wants the law to take effect as soon as possible, ideally before the summer break, to send a clear signal that Germany’s migration policy has changed.
The minister does not expect any problems in the Bundesrat, as the bill is a coalition agreement between the SPD, CDU and CSU, as outlined in the coalition contract. Germany currently accepts around 1,000 family members of subsidiarily protected individuals each month. The parliamentary summer break is set to begin in July.
Dobrindt did not rule out further measures after the two-year suspension, stating that the law is a crucial part of the decisions aimed at reducing the numbers of illegal migration. He said that the ministry would reassess the situation in two years and make further decisions accordingly.
The minister also announced the plan to submit a bill to abolish the so-called “Turbo naturalization” for certain migrants, which allows for naturalization after three years. Dobrindt described this as a mistake and stated that it would be abolished, as he is currently working on the bill and expects a decision to be made soon. The bill is still being coordinated with other ministries and Dobrindt is confident that it will be presented to the cabinet and published in the official gazette as soon as possible, effectively ending the possibility of naturalization in Germany.