Hessen to halt naturalization for subsidiarily protected - German states push to tighten citizenship rules for protected refugees
Two German states are pushing for stricter rules on citizenship for refugees with subsidiary protection. Hesseâs interior minister wants to block their naturalisation entirely, while Baden-WĂźrttemberg aims to remove pardons for minor offences. Both argue that current policies conflict with the temporary nature of this form of protection.
Subsidiary protection allows people to stay in Germany if they risk torture, war, or execution in their home country. Unlike asylum, it is not designed as a permanent solution.
Hesseâs interior minister now plans to propose changes to the Nationality Act. His goal is to prevent refugees under subsidiary protection from ever gaining German citizenship. He claims that anyone convicted of a crimeâeven a minor oneâhas failed to fully respect the rule of law.
In Baden-WĂźrttemberg, the interior minister is taking a slightly different approach. Instead of a full ban, he wants to scrap the current leniency for minor offences in naturalisation cases. Both ministers argue that citizenship should not be granted if the original protection was meant to be temporary.
The proposed changes would tighten citizenship rules for thousands of refugees. If successful, those with subsidiary protection could face permanent exclusion from naturalisation. The reforms would also remove discretion for minor legal violations in the application process.
