Can local administration boost naturalization rates? Estimating the effect of local naturalization campaigns.
P13-2
Presented by: Niklas Harder
As of 2020, almost 14 % of Germany's permanent residents are not German citizens. Since citizenship is a requirement for participation in federal and state elections, a growing number of people is excluded from political decision-making. Currently, naturalizations are the only way for foreign permanent residents to full political rights.
Still, naturalization rates in Germany have been low, especially when compared to other European countries. It is estimated that since 2004 only 3 % of the eligible population have naturalized. Legal changes that could remove barriers or simplify the process can only be decided and implemented at the national level. Therefore, local administrations that aim to increase naturalization rates often initiate their own naturalization campaigns. The implementation of such campaigns differs substantially, and anecdotal evidence suggests that they can be extremely successful, but also that they may have no effect on naturalization rates at all.
We estimate the actual impact of naturalization campaigns by applying a combination of difference-in-difference and matching techniques to micro-level data on local naturalization numbers. Since campaigns can be substantially different, we also document and evaluate individual campaigns to identify elements that can promote or hinder their success. Our analysis shows that campaigns can work well – if they do not solely address foreigners but involve the administration as well.
Still, naturalization rates in Germany have been low, especially when compared to other European countries. It is estimated that since 2004 only 3 % of the eligible population have naturalized. Legal changes that could remove barriers or simplify the process can only be decided and implemented at the national level. Therefore, local administrations that aim to increase naturalization rates often initiate their own naturalization campaigns. The implementation of such campaigns differs substantially, and anecdotal evidence suggests that they can be extremely successful, but also that they may have no effect on naturalization rates at all.
We estimate the actual impact of naturalization campaigns by applying a combination of difference-in-difference and matching techniques to micro-level data on local naturalization numbers. Since campaigns can be substantially different, we also document and evaluate individual campaigns to identify elements that can promote or hinder their success. Our analysis shows that campaigns can work well – if they do not solely address foreigners but involve the administration as well.