Overview

• Lawmakers are debating and scheduled to vote today on ending the accelerated naturalization route for highly integrated residents that was introduced in June 2024.
• Government parties CDU and SPD cast the rollback as part of a broader 'Migrationswende,' with Dobrindt calling the fast-track a mistake and a pull factor.
• Media inquiries suggest the three-year pathway was used very rarely nationwide, likely under one percent of naturalizations, with notable use concentrated in Berlin.
• The Greens and the Left oppose the change and criticize the absence of transitional protections for pending applicants amid long processing times.
• The cabinet’s draft to implement the EU asylum reform is moving forward as the coalition seeks to drop the 'connection element,' while rights groups warn of de-facto detention in partly closed centers and note an EU implementation deadline of June 2026.