Can Germany Take Away Your Citizenship? The Revocation Debate

Sep 25

4 min read

Updated: Sep 30

You are a citizen of both Germany and a second country, and have read headlines saying politicians want to take German citizenship away from dual nationals. This is a proposal, not the law, and the Basic Law sets a high bar against it. Here is what is being proposed, what the constitution allows, and what that means for you.

What is being proposed

The proposal comes mainly from the CDU/CSU. It would allow the state to withdraw German citizenship from people who hold a second nationality if they are classed as supporters of terrorism, antisemites or extremists. In March 2025 it appeared in the exploratory paper for coalition talks between the CDU/CSU and the SPD, which said the parties would examine whether it is constitutionally possible. It did not make it into the coalition agreement signed in May 2025. After the attack on Berlin's Christopher Street Day in July 2026, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and CSU leader Markus Söder raised it again.

The proposal targets only people with two or more nationalities.

The role of the constitution in this

Article 16(1) of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz) contains two rules. First, German citizenship may not be withdrawn. Second, citizenship may be lost only on the basis of a statute, and against the person's will only if they do not become stateless as a result.

The provision is a direct answer to the Nazi regime, which stripped Jews and political opponents of their citizenship. Because of the statelessness rule, a loss of citizenship against their will can only ever affect someone who holds another nationality. That is why the proposal is limited to dual nationals.

Most constitutional scholars take the view that the Basic Law, as it stands, does not allow citizenship to be withdrawn for holding extremist views or for an ordinary criminal conviction. A power of the kind now discussed would likely need a constitutional amendment, which requires a two-thirds majority in both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat (Art. 79(2) GG). Chancellor Merz has argued that an ordinary statute would be enough. Constitutional lawyers have disputed that.

The main objections

Lawyers and human rights organizations have raised three main concerns:

Vague terms. "Antisemite," "extremist" and "terror supporter" are not defined offenses in German criminal law.
Two classes of citizens. Only dual nationals could lose their citizenship. Germans with one nationality could not, regardless of their actions.
Legal certainty. Tying citizenship to contested political labels, rather than to clear legal findings, weakens due process.

What the law currently allows

German law already provides for loss of citizenship in a few narrow cases. A dual national who voluntarily joins the armed forces of a foreign state without permission loses German citizenship. Since 2019, the same applies to an adult dual national who takes part in combat operations of a terrorist militia abroad (§ 28 StAG). Separately, a naturalization obtained by deception can be withdrawn (§ 35 StAG). And since 29 July 2026, a child can lose German citizenship acquired through a father's acknowledgment of paternity if the approval of that acknowledgment is later withdrawn because it was obtained by deception (§ 17 StAG).

None of these rules comes close to the broad "extremism" power now under discussion.

Where things stand

At the time of writing, this is a proposal in a political debate, not enacted law, and no bill has been introduced. The debate flared up again in July 2026. The SPD has resisted the idea, and whether it could be done without amending the Basic Law is disputed.

If you are a dual national living an ordinary life in Germany, your position has not changed. The debate is worth following, but it gives you no reason to act now.

When to get a lawyer

Get advice if the authorities question your naturalization, if you are concerned about how a past event might be viewed, or if you want to know whether one of the existing grounds for loss could apply to you. A lawyer can tell you whether you face a real legal risk or political noise.

Know where you stand on your citizenship

Fiona Macdonald advises on German citizenship and naturalization, including dual nationality after the 2024 reform. If a proposal or a letter from the authorities has you worried about your status, you can book a consultation to discuss your situation.

Book a consultation with Fiona Macdonald →