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Immigration and Citizenship in Germany

Immigration and Citizenship in Germany. Legal and Constitutional Aspects Migration trends Guest workers Policy Reform. Traditional Approaches to Immigration and Citizenship. History of: Law of 1913: Inclusive Goal of defining German National identity. Today seen as restrictive.

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Immigration and Citizenship in Germany

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  1. Immigration and Citizenship in Germany Legal and Constitutional Aspects Migration trends Guest workers Policy Reform

  2. Traditional Approaches to Immigration and Citizenship • History of: Law of 1913: Inclusive Goal of defining German National identity. Today seen as restrictive. • Legal definition of who is German? Soil (jus soli) vs. Blood (jus sanguinis)? • “Germany is not a Land of Immigration” vs. the Reality

  3. Guest Workers • Economic recovery and labor shortages • Contracts for workers on temporary basis • Family Reunification • Social Change to a non-acknowledged Multi-cultural reality

  4. Migration patterns • Post-war: Expellees and refugees • From 1955, Gastarbeiter, first from Italy • Later Recruitment from Balkans and Turkey • End of Cold war and Re-unification: East Germans, wave of ethnic Germans from Soviet Bloc, Economic or Political Asylum-seekers • Within EU: Principle of Freedom of Movement • EU Enlargement: Polish workers

  5. German Demographics • Low German birth rate • Long term population decline • East German Out-migration

  6. Policy Change • Post-Unification Influx: Asylum-seekers, Illegal migrants, • East German internal migration • Soviet bloc ethnic Germans claiming citizenship • Under Kohl: 1993 Const. Amendment • Under Red- Green: Redefining Citizenship • Failed “Green card” recruitment

  7. Politicization of Immigration? • In Europe: Rise of anti-immigrant parties like FN in France, Lega Nord in Italy, others in Austria (Haider), Denmark, Belgium (Vlaams Belang), Netherlands (Pym Fortuyn and successors) • German elite consensus holding? • Limited regional successes of extremist parties: NPD, DVU, Reps

  8. 2004 Immigration Law • Context: 7.3 million foreign residents • One half are Muslim, of which 70% are Turks • New law requires those seeking permanent residence to take German language, culture, history, • No assimilation: recognizes parallel cultural worlds

  9. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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