Monday, June 7th, 2021
Statutory declaration of loyalty
Union: No naturalization for anti-Semites
In the context of the Middle East conflict between Israel and Hamas, there are also anti-Semitic acts in Germany. The Union therefore wants to change citizenship law: foreigners who incite against Jews should not get a German passport.
On the occasion of anti-Semitic incidents during demonstrations in Germany, the domestic political spokesman for the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Mathias Middelberg, wants to tighten citizenship law in order to exclude anti-Semites from naturalization. “Citizenship law should expressly regulate that naturalizations of people who have committed anti-Semitic acts are excluded,” said Middelberg of the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (NOZ). The change should be voted on in parliament this week.
“Anyone who publicly incites against Jews, questions the existence of the State of Israel or burns the Israeli flag cannot become a German citizen,” said Middelberg. In the Citizenship Act, the following sentence should be added: “Naturalization is excluded if the foreigner has carried out an anti-Semitically motivated act.” In addition to the required declaration of loyalty, the law should include the express reference that anti-Semitically motivated actions are incompatible with the guarantee of human dignity in the Basic Law.
Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement that the existence of the State of Israel is German raison d’etre should not “run dry,” stressed Middelberg. This “must be given special attention, especially with naturalizations”. The CDU internal politician asked the SPD to approve his proposal in the Bundestag this week.
At the end of May there had been a series of demonstrations and protests over the Middle East conflict. Anti-Semitic incidents also occurred during pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel rallies. Israeli flags were burned and Jewish institutions were attacked.
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