New German citizens must declare support for Israel’s right to exist

Germany, in an effort to address rising domestic criticism of Israel’s actions in Palestine, has introduced a controversial requirement for dual citizenship applicants. The new mandate requires applicants to formally declare their support for Israel’s right to exist.

The Modernization of the Citizenship Law, which enables dual citizenship in Germany, was signed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on March 26 and published in the official gazette three months later. The law comes into effect Thursday.

The new legislation eliminates the requirement for applicants to give up their existing citizenship, allowing Turkish immigrants to hold both German and Turkish passports. This change is expected to significantly increase applications for German citizenship, with residency requirements also being relaxed from eight years to five.

If the applicant demonstrates integration into German life through school or professional success, volunteer work, or efforts to learn the language, this period can be further reduced to three years. Children born in Germany can acquire German citizenship if at least one parent has legally resided in the country for five years.

The German Interior Ministry has introduced new requirements for the citizenship process that address anti-Semitism, the right of Israel to exist, and Jewish life in Germany. These measures effectively add a condition that applicants must express support for Israel.