Revoking dual citizenship law would be mistake: Germany’s Scholz

The Turkish migrants who settled and worked in Germany decades ago have contributed significantly to the country's economic development, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, underlining that revoking the dual citizenship law would be a grave mistake.

"Germany’s economic prosperity would not have been possible without the Gastarbeiter [guest workers] who arrived from Türkiye in the 1950s and 1960s. This continues to resonate in our country to this day," Scholz remarked in an exclusive interview with Türkiye’s daily Hürriyet released on Feb. 7.

In 1961, the governments of Bonn — then the capital of West Germany — and Ankara signed a labor recruitment agreement. According to the official figures, approximately 876,000 people migrated to Germany from Türkiye as a result of this "guest worker" agreement.

Germany recently took a significant step by passing a dual citizenship law, a move that particularly affects the Turkish community which has now numbered 3.5 million.

However, ahead of Germany‘s early general elections on Feb. 23, right-wing factions are seeking to overturn this law.

"One third of our population has roots in other countries, with many originating from Türkiye. This is precisely why, as chancellor, I am pleased to implement a reform in the Citizenship Law. This law provides many individuals with the opportunity to acquire German citizenship without having to renounce the citizenship of their country of origin," Scholz emphasized.

Scholz emphasized that Germany is fundamentally a country of migration, asserting that those who arrived, secured employment and chose to make Germany their home have proven to be a valuable asset to the nation.

He unequivocally rejected the criticism that Turkish origins in Germany have failed to integrate.

"I cannot, in any way, endorse such prejudices. Germany is home to many Turkish citizens as well as citizens of Turkish descent. We have entrepreneurs, academics, industrial workers and individuals contributing to the healthcare and elderly care sectors," Scholz stated.

"They live here with pride and have seamlessly integrated; they take immense pride in the achievements of their children and grandchildren in both academics and careers. I firmly believe that integration has been successfully achieved," he asserted.