On January 8, 2025, Friedrich Merz, the Federal Chancellor of Germany, stated in an interview with the newspaper Welt that “Dual citizenship will thus become the rule in our citizenship law” and that “it will bring additional problems into the country.”
To assess this statement, we first examine whether dual citizenship has indeed become the legal standard and how this is reflected in recent data. According to the 2024 microcensus, around 3.14 million Germans hold at least two nationalities. The largest group among them possesses an additional EU passport besides German citizenship—most notably from Poland (approx. 409.000), Turkey (approx. 338.000), and Russia (approx. 311.000). Already in the 2022 microcensus, 2.74 million people were recorded as having dual nationality, indicating a significant rise over recent years.
This trend is further confirmed by the most recent naturalization statistics: According to the Federal Statistical Office, a total of 291.955 foreign nationals were naturalized in 2024—the highest figure since data collection began. Syrian nationals accounted for the largest share at 28%, followed by Turkish (8%), Iraqi (5%), Russian (4%), and Afghan (3%) nationals. The average length of residence before naturalization in 2024 was 11.8 years, although this varied by nationality: Syrian nationals averaged 7.4 years, whereas Turkish nationals averaged 23.1 years.
With the Act on the Modernization of Citizenship Law, which came into effect on June 27, 2024, dual citizenship has indeed become the new norm in naturalization law. The reform also simplifies access to citizenship for children born in Germany to foreign parents. However, the law is not retroactive—those who were expatriated under the previous legislation do not automatically benefit from the new provisions. In this respect, Friedrich Merz’s assertion that dual citizenship is now the rule in German citizenship law is factually correct.
Concerns About Legal and Social Consequences
Chancellor Merz also voiced concerns that dual citizenship could lead to additional problems. One frequently cited argument is that it complicates the deportation of dual nationals who commit crimes, as German citizenship can rarely be revoked. Further issues mentioned include possible legal conflicts in areas such as taxation, military service obligations, or the recognition of foreign qualifications. Authorities may also face a higher administrative burden when individuals are subject to multiple legal systems. Lastly, dual nationality remains a contentious topic in parts of society and can trigger political debate.
What the Research Says About Dual Citizenship
However, scientific studies and expert literature present a more nuanced and largely positive picture. The 2022 report by the Expert Commission on Integration Capability offers a comprehensive overview of existing research in Germany. It concludes that although only a limited number of empirical studies exist, most find no negative impact of dual citizenship on integration. Individuals with dual nationality do not exhibit lower identification with Germany compared to other naturalized citizens and often retain an additional cultural connection to their country of origin.
Additional findings from the Expertise on Naturalization Barriers provide important context for the current debate:
One of the main obstacles to naturalization was historically the requirement to renounce previous citizenship. Among Turkish nationals, up to 83% expressed willingness to reapply for Turkish citizenship after naturalization, and over 50% reported emotional difficulty with giving it up. The removal of this barrier through dual citizenship reforms significantly increases the willingness of eligible individuals to naturalize. Particularly among migrants from Turkey, former Yugoslavia, and Middle Eastern countries.
International comparative studies such as mentioned previously support this finding. Their research demonstrates that more liberal naturalization policies, including the acceptance of dual citizenship, foster integration and do not generate demonstrable negative social outcomes. The EU project TRANSFORNATION further explored the legal, political, and societal dimensions of dual citizenship in Germany from an ethnographic perspective. Its findings show that legal and social recognition significantly influence the sense of belonging and the everyday experiences of dual nationals. Moreover, data indicates that individuals with dual nationality tend to feel more politically represented and are more likely to exercise their civic rights.
Conclusion
In summary, Friedrich Merz’s claim consists of two parts. While it is correct that dual citizenship has now become the rule in Germany’s citizenship law, the assertion that this legal shift brings additional problems is not supported by current empirical research. The available scientific evidence does not point to systemic negative consequences. On the contrary, dual citizenship appears to support integration and civic participation. Therefore, the overall statement is mostly false.
RESEARCH | ARTICLE © Lena Wilhelm | Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart , Germany
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