In the upcoming German federal elections in February 2025, hundreds of thousands of immigrants who gained German citizenship over the past three years, predominantly Syrians, will be voting for the first time.
A survey conducted by Fox News across all federal states indicates that early elections are expected to see an increase in voter turnout among naturalized citizens compared to previous elections. This anticipated rise is attributed to the growth in the number of naturalized citizens since 2021.
North Rhine-Westphalia led the states in the percentage of naturalized citizens, with 29,520 immigrants obtaining citizenship in 2021. This number rose to 42,824 in 2022, and further increased to 51,187 in 2023. Notably, Syrian immigrants topped the list of those gaining German citizenship, with a total of 42,017 individuals naturalized over the past three years.
The poll indicates that 121,261 individuals who became naturalized citizens after the 2021 elections will vote in the upcoming elections. This number will increase with those who obtain citizenship before February 23, 2025. As a result, the total number of voters who gained citizenship will surpass that of any previous elections.
Baden-Württemberg ranked second for the number of citizenship holders, with 17,304 foreigners naturalized in 2022. In 2023, this number increased to 22,745. Of the new citizens, 61,020 will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections, including 13,619 from Syria.
Berlin, the capital, has seen a substantial increase in the number of individuals acquiring citizenship. In 2021, the state recorded 8,875 naturalizations, which rose to 9,041 in 2022. This year, by October 2024, there have been 12,956 registrations for naturalization, largely due to the implementation of a new nationality law. This law reduced the residency requirement for citizenship from eight years to five years, according to the Berlin State Office. Additionally, from February to March 2025, an estimated 13,000 foreigners are expected to be naturalized, allowing 55,206 newly naturalized citizens to vote in the 2025 elections.
Many other states also saw an increase in the number of foreigners who obtained citizenship following the 2021 elections. In Saarland, for example, 837 foreigners were naturalized in 2022, up to 2,348 in the previous year. As a result, 4,879 individuals will be able to vote for the first time in the upcoming elections.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of foreigners who obtained citizenship following the last elections exceeded half a million in Germany. According to German law, those who are naturalized have the right to vote, as acquiring a naturalization certificate signifies the completion of the citizenship process.
Migration expert Martin Manziel states that each naturalized citizen can assert all the rights entitled to German citizens, including the right to vote and run for election.
