Latest from Local Germany
Local Germany
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Local Germany
How securing rights through citizenship has become 'increasingly fragile'
The first Global State of Citizenship report, by the Global Citizenship Observatory (GLOBALCIT) at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, analyses citizenship laws in 191 countries in 2024. Researchers found that "with the growing number of armed conflicts and incidence of terrorism worldwide, many countries have introduced provisions for withdrawing the citizenship of a person on the basis of national security grounds.' Over a third of countries, including many European ones, 'can now strip a person of their citizenship when their actions are seen as disloyal or threatening to state security,' the report says, and the trend has been expanding. The practice is linked to an 'increasing securitisation of citizenship' since the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001 in the USA. Between 2000 and 2020, 18 European countries put in place measures to deprive persons of citizenship because of national security or to counter terrorism. Before 2001, these measures were 'virtually absent', the report says. Recently, the Swedish government commissioned an inquiry on the revocation of citizenship from individuals threatening national security . Germany's coalition parties discussed this option for 'supporters of terrorism, antisemites, and extremists'. Hungary also amended the constitution to allow the temporary suspension of citizenship because of national security. Middle East and North Africa are other regions where these policies have expanded, the report says. Advertisement Ways to strip citizenship The report identifies four ways in which citizens can be stripped of their status on security grounds. Nearly 80 per cent of countries have rules covering at least one of these situations. In 132 countries around the world, and two thirds of European states, citizenship can be removed for disloyalty or for acts that threaten national security, such treason, espionage, trying to overthrow a government or terrorism. Such rules exist in Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK. In 89 countries, however, this rule concerns only to people who naturalised, not those who acquired citizenship by birth. Another reason that can lead to the stripping of citizenship is having committee serious criminal offences, which typically involves having been sentenced to imprisonment for a certain period. These rules exist in 79 countries but only a few in Europe. In 70 countries, citizenship can be removed for serving in a foreign army and in 18 this measure concerns only people who acquired citizenship by naturalisation. In Europe, 40 per cent of countries – including France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Estonia, Turkey, Belarus and Bosnia Herzegovina – can remove citizenship under certain conditions for having served in another army. Latvia, one of the countries that can revoke citizenship for such reasons, changed the law in 2022 to allow its citizens to work with the Ukrainian military forces. Citizenship can also be removed for providing non-military services to another state, such as being elected in a public office, working for certain agencies or just in the civil service. Such rules exist in 75 countries around the world and some in Europe too, including France, Greece and Turkey. Advertisement People naturalised more at risk Luuk van der Baaren, co-author of the report, said at the presentation of the study that 'these developments indeed raise an important question as to what extent is citizenship still a secure legal status'. The data also shows that 'a large share of the citizenship stripping provisions are discriminatory in nature, as they only apply to specific groups, particularly citizens by naturalisation'. This is to prevent that a person remains stateless, but it means that 'citizens by birth have a secure legal status, while those who acquired citizenship later in life do not,' he added. Losing citizenship may not only affect the personal security and life opportunities, but also that of dependants, the report says, as in 40 per cent of countries citizenship deprivation can extend to children. Other ways of losing citizenship There are other ways, intentional or not, to lose citizenship, according to the report. The most common, is to have withdrawn because it was acquired in a fraudulent way. Such rules exist in 157 countries. 156 states have also rules on how to voluntarily renounce citizenship, usually with provisions to ensure that a person does not end up stateless. In 56 countries, people can lose their citizenship if they acquire another nationality, and in 55 this may occur by simply residing abroad. Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 'everyone has the right to a nationality', but four million people in the world are stateless 'because their citizenship remains denied or unrecognised,' the report continues. On the other hand, 35 countries do not allow people to renounce citizenship, or make this impossible in practice. Advertisement Unequal rights The report also looks at ways to acquire citizenship and finds 'highly unequal pathways'. The most common naturalisation requirement knowledge. Less common are economic self-sufficiency, civic or cultural integration, language or citizenship tests, and renunciation of other citizenships. On residency requirements, Americas and Western Europe have the more inclusive measures. Citizenship in European countries is also regulated via the European Convention on Nationality, under which the residence requirement cannot exceed 10 years. In 15 countries the wait is longer than 10 years: Equatorial Guinea (40 years), United Arab Emirates (30), Bahrain (25), Qatar (25), Bhutan (20), Brunei (20), Eritrea (20), Oman (20), Chad (15), Gambia (15), Nigeria (15), Rwanda (15), Sierra Leone (15), St. Kitts and Nevis (14), and India (11).
Local Germany
2 days ago
- Business
- Local Germany
'System feels unfair': The struggle of getting German citizenship as a freelancer
Kathryn, an American citizen who works as a freelancer, moved to Germany more than 15 years ago. Since then, she's faced years of bureaucratic challenges: paying for tax audits and lawyers, receiving incomplete or unhelpful information from immigration authorities and navigating a system that feels stacked against her. Staying in Germany as a freelancer, she said, has never been easy – or cheap. Now, she's beginning her application for German citizenship, a process that's proving to be just as burdensome. Marcelo, a freelance artist from Brazil, has faced similar challenges. After living in Germany for seven years, Marcelo began the process of applying for German citizenship in October last year and has been going back and forth with the immigration authorities ever since. 'I would say that there is quite a discriminatory practice between freelancers and people who have a regular nine-to-five job,' Marcelo said. Both Kathryn and Marcelo have asked to be identified only by their first names because they are still in the process of applying for citizenship. Working as a freelancer does not disqualify you from becoming a German citizen, but as Kathryn and Marcelo have both found, it can make the process slower, more expensive and more confusing. Advertisement Freiberufler visa makes freelance work possible for expats The Freiberufler visa allows non-EU citizens to be self-employed or work as freelancers in Germany for three years at a time. It's an attractive option for many foreign residents, as the visa offers a way to work in Germany without a full-time employment contract. To receive this visa, applicants must show letters of intent from clients and evidence they can support themselves financially. READ ALSO: The compete guide to getting a freelance visa in Germany As a reminder to become a German citizen, all applicants are generally required to have been living in Germany for at least five years, have a long-term residence permit or permanent right of residence, pass a citizenship test and speak German at a B1 level. But for foreign freelancers who hope to one day become naturalised, it's important to understand how working as a freelancer can complicate the process of attaining citizenship. Advertisement Additional paperwork, additional expenses Because most freelancers have several employers, rather than just one, documenting taxes and income can get complicated. Freelancers applying for citizenship in Berlin must submit a Prüfungsbericht , or an audit report conducted by a tax professional, according to the ServicePortal Berlin website . Freelancers must also submit their last Steuerbescheid , or tax assessment, and a tax clearance certificate, or Steuerunbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung. In contrast employees with salaried jobs need only to submit their employment contract, their last six months of salary statements and a statement from their employer concerning the duration of the employment, the ServicePortal website says. German immigration authorities can be quite meticulous when reviewing freelancers' financial documents, and even minor discrepancies between invoices and bank statements can raise red flags. In the more than 15 years Kathryn has spent as a freelancer, she said she's run into all kinds of issues reporting her taxes and income. As an example she once received a €23 refund on a Deutsche Bahn ticket. When she later submitted a bank statement that included that refund, the clerk reviewing her documents accused her of receiving compensation for unreported freelance work with Deutsche Bahn. Advertisement Citizenship comes at a cost Another challenge freelancers face when applying for citizenship is the heavy cost burden. Just getting a Prüfungsbericht can sometimes cost upwards of €1,000. Over the course of the application process, Marcelo has already paid around €2,000 for lawyers and tax professionals, as well as for official translations of documents. 'I had to ask for help from my parents, because I couldn't do it myself,' Marcelo said. 'So I do feel like it's something that is quite prohibitive.' Kathryn estimated she'd spent between €5,000 and €10,000 annually on freelance-related expenses since moving to Germany. That includes lawyers, tax professionals, document translations and insurance, not to mention all the hours of income she's lost. 'Honestly, it's not felt worth it. I mean, I kept fighting for it. I kept staying here,' she said. 'But I would say altogether, it has not been worth it.' Freelancers say German bureaucracy isn't made for them A lack of transparency and clarity from immigration authorities is another complaint foreign freelancers have voiced. Kathryn said she has never been told exactly how much money she needs to make in order to prove she can support herself. Even though options like the Freiberufler visa make freelancing a viable path for international residents, some freelancers still say the system doesn't feel like it's set up for them. 'German society is not really geared towards being a freelancer,' Marcelo said. 'You are supposed to be here really in a like nine-to-five job contract…that's what they want.' READ ALSO: Five hard truths about starting out as a freelancer in Germany Kathryn said she and her husband, a German national who also freelances, have considered leaving Germany altogether because of these bureaucratic challenges. Kathryn has looked into relocating to countries including the Netherlands, New Zealand and Senegal – all of which were friendlier to freelancers than Germany is, she said. 'Why is it so hard here?' Kathryn said. 'I just find there's not a lot of clarity here.' Have you had similar experiences applying for German citizenship as a freelancer. We want to hear from you. Share your story in the comments section or email us at news@
Local Germany
2 days ago
- Business
- Local Germany
Germany's minimum wage to rise to €14.60 in two stages
Announcing the recommendation onFriday, the chairwoman of Germany's Mindestlohnausschuss (Minimum Wage Commission) said the decision had been unanimous and warned the federal government against political intervention. Chairwoman Schönefeld spoke of a workable compromise that strikes a balance between the interests of employees and businesses. The negotiator for the German Trade Union Confederation, Stefan Körzell, said that the negotiations had been 'tough.' The negotiator for the employers, Steffen Kampeter, criticised the considerable pressure that had been exerted on the commission by politicians in recent months. Is the decision controversial? Almost the first argument that broke out between the conservative Union party (CDU) and the centre-left SPD, after signing the coalition agreement in April, was over plans for Germany's minimum wage ( Mindestlohn ). The agreement contained "a shared assumption" that Germany's minimum wage would rise to €15 in 2026 from the current rate of €12.82. Following publication of the agreement, however, CDU leader Friedrich Merz told Bild am Sonntag that the increase wasn't certain, arguing that Germany's Minimum Wage Commission sets the rate independently. Advertisement In response, former labour minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) was quick to appear on ZDF's Morgenmagazin , where he argued that if the Minimum Wage Commission adhered to its own rules of procedure, a minimum hourly wage of €15 in 2026 was achievable. In recent weeks, there have been calls from within the SPD to push this through by means of a political decision if necessary. This has only happened once since the commission was created in 2015, when the SPD under Olaf Scholz used their majority in parliament to hike up the minimum wage to €12 per hour. READ ALSO: Five hard truths foreign job seekers in Germany need to know Perhaps wary of reigniting the argument, and keen to heed the commission's warning, current labour minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) has already announced that she would implement the proposal. This means more money in the wallets of millions of people, the SPD politician explained in Berlin. According to her ministry, the minimum wage will rise by almost 14 percent, making it 'the largest wage increase agreed by the social partners since the introduction of the minimum wage.' The proposed increase has drawn substantial criticism, however, from both sides of the political divide. The president of the German Trade Association, Alexander von Preen, said the increase would put numerous jobs at risk in the retail sector. Advertisement Joachim Rukwied, President of the German Farmers' Association, warned that it could drive fruit, vegetable, and wine cultivation out of Germany. On the other hand, Marcel Fratzscher, President of the German Institute for Economic Research, would have liked to see a minimum wage of €15 and sees this as a 'missed opportunity'. 'A higher minimum wage would make the labor market more attractive—especially for people from abroad, given the acute labor shortage,' he said.
Local Germany
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Local Germany
'Gute Fahrt': The essential vocab you need for driving in Germany
1. Acronyms Auto (car) and Fahrzeug (vehicle) are clear enough, but Germans also like to throw in the term "PKW" from time to time for good measure. A short form of Personenkraftwagen , which distinguishes a passenger car from a lorry, or "LKW" ( Lastkraftwagen ). People in Germany tend to take their acronyms seriously, so it's generally a good idea to try and pronounce the letters like a native -- "pe ka vay" and "el ka vay" respectively. The same rule applies to makes of car. A beamer is an overhead projector in Germany, never a car and certainly not a sacred BMW. BMW should always be pronounced "be em vay". Germans can be quite sniffy about this, so bear in mind that a VW is a "Fow Vay" in Germany if you want to avoid giving offence. 2. Road rage (Wut am Steuer) Of course, there are times when you might want to give offence. Instances of tailgating (drängeln), Sunday driving (Sonntagsfahren) and double parking (parken in der zweiten Reihe) are enough to make anyone's blood boil over. By far the most common word shouted from car window to car window in Germany is Arschloch , which hopefully needs no translation. If you make the mistake of shouting before looking, and the object of your anger turns out to be a lunatic spoiling for a fight, then you might want to gib Gas (step on it). The second most common expression shouted by drivers in Germany (very often at newcomers to the country unfamiliar with the rule) is rechts vor links (right before left). Advertisement You will hear this whenever you inadvertantly carry straight on at an intersection, rather than stopping to let the cars on your right turn into the road. The rule -- which seems to be an example of the triumph of regulation over reason -- is rendered void whenever you see a yellow diamond-shaped street sign at the intersection. 3. Trouble with the law In common with many other countries around the world, the German authorities take particular delight in setting up speed cameras ( Blitzer ) wherever drivers least expect them -- on a bend, for example, or where the speed limit ( Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung ) is inexplicably lowered for a few hundred metres. If you do get blitzed , you'll probably receive a letter from the police a few days or weeks later, featuring a black and white mugshot of you behind the wheel of your car. If it's not your first offence, or you were driving wildly over the Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung , you may get points on your licence. READ ALSO: Everything you need to carry in your car while driving in Germany In German, this is known as Punkte in Flensburg (points in Flensburg) -- a reference to the location of Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority or Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt. A parking ticket is known as a Straffzettel or Knöllschen. Advertisement 4. Breaking down People tend not to break down in the cars anymore ( habe eine Panne ) or suffer from punctures ( Platten ) all that often. If you do have trouble with your car, there's a chance you may have bought a lemon, or a Montagsauto in German (a car that was built on a Monday, when the workers were still tired and hungover from their weekend's exertions. Alternatively, you may just have run out of petrol: " I have run out of petrol." Mir is das Benzin ausgegangen. READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Why it's illegal to run out of fuel on the German Autobahn Here's the list in full: Auto - car Fahrzeug - vehicle PKW - passenger vehicle LKW - lorry He is tailgating me - Er drängelt mich I can't stand Sunday drivers - Ich kann Sonntagsfahrer nicht ausstehen Hurry up. I'm double parked - Bitte beeilen Sie sich. Ich habe in zweiter Reihe geparkt Step on it! - Gib Gas! Right before left - Rechts vor links I was caught twice by speed cameras - Ich wurde zweimal von einem Blitzer erwischt I have six points on my licence - Ich habe sechs Punkte in Flensburg A parking ticket - Ein Knöllschen I have broken down - Ich habe eine Panne. A lemon - Ein Montagsauto I've run out of petrol - Mir is das Benzin ausgegangen READ ALSO: German word of the day: Knöllchen
Local Germany
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Local Germany
Germany charges Syrian youth over plot against Taylor Swift concerts
The suspect, only partially named as Mohammad A., was accused of supporting a foreign terrorist organisation and of preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state, federal prosecutors said. He had, as a juvenile, started following IS ideology from April last year at the latest and had from July been in contact with a young adult from Austria who was planning a bomb attack at one of Swift's concerts, they said. "The accused assisted the young adult in his preparations by, among other things, translating bomb-making instructions from Arabic and establishing contact with an IS member abroad via the internet," federal prosecutors said in a statement. "The accused also provided the young adult with a template for the oath of allegiance to IS, which the young adult used to join the organisation." Police first took Mohammad A. into custody last September in the eastern city of Frankfurt an der Oder, where the then 15-year-old went to school, but later released him. The federal prosecutors office in the western city of Karlsruhe said Friday that the charges were laid on June 17 in a Berlin higher regional court, which will now decide on their admissibility. Three Vienna shows that were part of Swift's record-breaking "Eras" tour were cancelled last summer after authorities warned of a terror plot by IS sympathisers. Advertisement Police detained three suspects, including a 19-year-old Austrian with North Macedonian roots, over the alleged attack threat, with the United States saying it shared intelligence to assist in the investigation. Swift later wrote on social media platform Instagram that "the reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many had planned on coming to those shows". © Agence France-Presse
