Turkish community expects 'great rush' for German citizenship

The chairman of the Turkish Community in Germany, an umbrella group, expects significantly more applications for naturalization once reform of the citizenship law is passed.

"I expect a great rush among people of Turkish origin in Germany, especially among those from the second generation," the chairman, Gökay Sofuoglu, told news site Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND).

The authorities need more staff to be able to process these applications, said Sofuoglu, whose organization advocates for people of Turkish origin in Germany.

The German Interior Ministry published a revised draft law on Friday intended to make naturalization in Germany easier, though there are some requirements. Applicants, for example, need to be self-supporting and not receiving social benefits.

The German passport is to be expressly excluded for people who have committed crimes with anti-Semitic or racist motives.

Sofuoglu said not everything he wanted was in the proposal. He said while it is understandable that applicants are denied citizenship in the case of anti-Semitic or racist crimes, "this must not become an attitude test. That would not be purposeful."

The chairman also argued that Turkish immigrants who came in the 1960s and 1970s as guest workers and stayed should not have to pass a German language test.

Germany is home to some 3 million people with Turkish roots.