Weekly proceedings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)

German Government Proposes Significant Changes in Asylum, Citizenship, and Budget Laws

The German federal government has presented a series of draft bills aiming to reform asylum and migration policies, citizenship laws, and budget adjustments. These proposals, discussed during the 141st and 142nd sessions, are intended to strengthen migration policy, align German law with evolving EU asylum frameworks, and facilitate national security.

Asylum and Migration Law Changes

The government plans to tighten migration policy by enabling faster designation of certain countries as "safe countries of origin," without requiring approval from the Bundesrat (Federal Council). This shift in legal basis from the German Basic Law to EU asylum law will allow quicker decisions to classify countries such as Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and India as safe. The goal is to accelerate asylum procedures and facilitate deportations.

Border controls and enhanced checks will be maintained beyond the current September deadline to continue cracking down on irregular migration. This includes continued controversial pushbacks of asylum seekers at borders, despite criticisms that these practices may violate EU law.

New EU asylum regulations coming into effect mid-2026 will require mandatory "border procedures" for asylum seekers from countries with low recognition rates, enabling quick rejection of unfounded applications without allowing these individuals into EU territory. Germany’s approaches align with this EU-wide policy shift.

Welfare benefits for new Ukrainian asylum seekers arriving since April 2025 may be reduced legally by about 100 euros per person monthly, indicating budgetary tightening in support measures.

Citizenship Law

The coalition government decided to end the possibility of naturalization after three years, signaling a tougher stance on immigration integration rules. Naturalization will be possible after five years instead of the current eight, and after three years for those with exceptional integration achievements.

International Criminal Law

While the search results do not specify particular draft bills on international criminal law, the heightened measures in migration enforcement and border security reflect Germany’s intention to strengthen national security frameworks which may relate implicitly to international crime prevention policies.

Budget Adjustments

The planned reduction of welfare benefits to new asylum arrivals (notably Ukrainians) signals budget adjustments aligned with stricter migration controls and integration policies.

The draft bills also aim to streamline procedures and enforce the obligation to leave more effectively, including by extending the maximum duration of detention pending deportation to 28 days. The government has also proposed facilitating the return of foreigners without the right to stay in Germany and extending the validity period of residence permits for those with subsidiary protection status.

In addition, the draft bill proposes simplifying the deportation of human traffickers and associates of organized crime. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will expand its scope to six countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq, providing financial resources to these regions.

The Animal Medicines Act (AMG) is being adjusted due to a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture must provide the information in the future in an open, machine-readable format on the internet.

These changes, if passed, will mark a significant shift in Germany's asylum, migration, and citizenship policies, aiming to reinforce migration policy rigor and align German law more closely with evolving EU asylum frameworks.

The German government's draft bills aim to tighten asylum and migration policies by enabling faster designations of certain countries as "safe countries of origin" and improving border controls, aligning with new EU asylum regulations set to take effect in mid-2026 (policy-and-legislation). The coalition government has also decided to end the possibility of naturalization after three years, signaling a tougher stance on immigration integration rules (policy-and-legislation, citizenship-laws).

In addition to these changes, the budget adjustments proposed by the draft bills include reducing welfare benefits to new asylum arrivals and streamlining procedures for the enforcement of the obligation to leave and for the deportation of foreigners without the right to stay in Germany (policy-and-legislation, general-news).