German Chancellor Olaf Scholz achieved a rare victory as his country’s parliament green-lighted a government bill focused on migration.
One of the measures included in the legislation is the extension of the detention period for migrants from 10 to 28 days.
A similar move grants authorities the time needed to enforce deportations – although minors are to be safeguarded from it.
The law also removes authorities’ obligation to give advance notice of deportations in some cases.
Moreover, the new bill extends the powers needed by police officers to establish the nationality of foreigners crossing the German border, authorising residential searches not just in the immigrant’s room but also in other areas of the house if they live in a shared accommodation.
In light of this new law, hate crimes based on anti-Semitism – as well as racism, xenophobia and discrimination against sexual and gender orientation – may be considered “serious” reasons for deportation.
The new legislation, approved on Thursday, doesn’t only aim at deporting migrants but also tries to ease the pressure on the labour market.
Among the measures approved to beef up the German workforce, the law allows asylum seekers to start working six months after their arrival in the country instead of nine months.
The bill was approved by Mr Scholz’s party, SPD, the Free Democratic Party and the Greens.
The Christian Social Union and far-right Alternative for Germany, on the other hand, voted against the bill, arguing Germany needs tougher measures against migrants.
While this legislation showed a harder stance on migration, the law approved by the Bundestag on Friday eased the rules for obtaining German naturalisation and ended restriction on dual citizenship, currently allowed only for citizens coming from other EU nations.
Citizenship will be available after a five-year-long residence rather than eight, in line with neighbouring countries such as France.
In case of “exceptionally well-integrated individuals”, the citizenship could be handed out after three years, the bill sanctioned.
Social Democrat legislator Reem Alabali-Radovan, born in Moscow to Iraqi Assyrian parents who won asylum in Germany in 1996, said: “Two passports is the most normal thing in the world in 2024 and has long been reality in most countries.”
The green light to these two legislations came as Mr Scholz’s government is facing a budget crisis and nationwide protests led by angry farmers.
