A study published Wednesday by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) found that refugees reported a surge in concern about xenophobia. The percentage of those surveyed who expressed concern increased from one-third in 2019 to more than half four years later.
The study — released 10 years after the arrival of a large number of refugees in Germany, many fleeing the Syrian Civil War — took place over a period that saw support for the far-right anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD) growing.
Meanwhile, a sharp increase in citizenship applications and naturalizations was reported.
What did the DIW study reveal about xenophobia?
Researchers asked refugees: “Do you feel welcome in Germany today?”
According to the DIW study, only 65% of respondents said they felt welcome in 2023, compared to 84% in 2017.
The figure had already fallen to 78% in 2020, according to the study.
More than half of those surveyed in 2023 (54%) expressed some or great concern about xenophobia. In 2019, this figure was still around one in three people.
The study saw people, who applied for asylum or temporary protection in Germany between 2013 and September 2022, surveyed annually between 2017 and 2023, regardless of whether their applications were successful.
Many of those surveyed said that discrimination was most often linked to ethnicity, language, or names. Refugees reported facing disadvantages in particular when searching for housing (32%), applying for jobs (18%), and in the workplace (14%).
Those working in eastern Germany reported more discrimination than those in the west. Refugee men in the east were more likely to face obstacles in finding both housing and employment, highlighting persistent regional divides.
How many refugees are seeking naturalization in Germany?
Despite negative experiences, 98% of refugees surveyed between 2013 and 2019 said they intend to become German citizens, have already applied, or have completed naturalization. The share of naturalized refugees rose from 2.1% in 2021 to 7.5% in 2023, while number of pending applications jumped to more than a quarter.
Syrian refugees are ahead: 13.1% had gained citizenship by 2023 and 29.4% had applied. Dual nationality is common, with nearly 88% of newly naturalized refugees keeping their original citizenship.
Germany’s new citizenship law, in effect since mid-2024, reduces the required residency period from eight to five years. Researchers expect this to increase naturalizations, removing a major barrier that had delayed citizenship for many refugees.
In February, Germany’s national election saw the anti-immigration AfD achieve their best ever result of over 20% riding a wave of anti-immigration feeling after attacks blamed on migrants.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged that his new government, formed in the months after the election, will pursue a crackdown on irregular immigration.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
