Migration & citizenship

Stricter naturalisation: where do Germany’s seven parties stand?

The statement in the quiz

The bar for becoming a German citizen should be raised further, for example by requiring people to live in Germany longer before they can apply.

Background

Today people generally need five years of legal residence before they can apply for naturalisation (cut from eight years in 2024). The fast track that let people with exceptional achievements apply after three years was abolished in 2025.

Sources for the background: Federal government: Naturalisation guide (October 2025 edition)

At a glance

CDU/CSULeaning for
AfDFor
SPDAgainst
GreensAgainst
Die LinkeAgainst
BSWNot in manifesto
FDPLeaning against

ForLeaning forNeutral / mixedLeaning againstAgainstNot in manifesto

Party by party

CDU/CSU Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU)

Leaning for

Wants to scrap the three-year fast track to citizenship and to require good German, a stable job and no criminal record.

From the manifesto „Für uns sind gute Deutschkenntnisse, die dauerhafte Integration in den Arbeitsmarkt und Straffreiheit unabdingbare Voraussetzungen für die Einbürgerung.“

Source: CDU/CSU manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 57

AfD Alternative for Germany

For

Wants naturalisation to be possible after 10 years of residence at the earliest.

From the manifesto „Einbürgerungen sollten bei bester Integrationsleistung frühestens nach 10 Jahren möglich sein.“

Source: AfD manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 111

SPD Social Democratic Party

Against

Welcomes the new law that made naturalisation easier.

From the manifesto „Mit der erleichterten Möglichkeit, die deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit zu erwerben“

Source: SPD manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 54

Since the election: In government, it agreed in the 2025 coalition agreement to scrap the three-year fast track to citizenship.

Greens Alliance 90/The Greens

Against

Wants single parents, family carers and disabled people to have equal and simple access to naturalisation too.

From the manifesto „gleichberechtigten und unbürokratischen Zugang dazu erhalten“

Source: Greens manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 127

Die Linke The Left (Die Linke)

Against

Wants everyone to have a legal right to naturalisation after five years, regardless of income.

From the manifesto „Nach fünf Jahren Aufenthalt in der Bundesrepublik soll jeder einen Rechtsanspruch auf Einbürgerung haben.“

Source: Die Linke manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 53

BSW BSW (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance)

Not in manifesto

The manifesto does not cover naturalisation.

Source: BSW manifesto for the 2025 federal election

FDP Free Democratic Party

Leaning against

Sees citizenship as the result of successful integration; defends the conditions in the 2024 law and does not ask for a longer wait.

From the manifesto „Wir Freie Demokraten wollen, dass die Verleihung der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit am Ende einer gelungenen Integration steht. Wir haben durchgesetzt, dass Menschen nur dann eingebürgert werden können, wenn sie ihren eigenen Lebensunterhalt verdienen.“

Source: FDP manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 29

Positions are coded on five steps: for, leaning for, neutral or mixed, leaning against, against. A party whose manifesto says nothing on the statement is marked “not in manifesto”, and the quiz leaves the statement out of that party’s score. The coding method and its checks are on the method page.

Where do you stand on this one?

This is one of the statements in the German Party Spectrum Quiz. The whole quiz takes about five minutes and shows how your views split across the seven parties, plus your place on an economic and social map. No sign-up, and we never ask who you are.

Start the quiz