Germany’s government shortened foreigners' paths to citizenship and ended a ban on dual nationality on Friday by passing a naturalisation law to attract more migrant workers, reports Reuters. The new law was adopted after a debate in parliament, during which opposition legislators accused the government of devaluing citizenship and adding to the burden migration is placing on public services. Citizenship will be available after five years' residence, reduced from eight, in line with neighbouring countries such as France.

Progressives have long demanded a citizenship law that acknowledges the reality that Germany has been an ethnically diverse multicultural society since guest workers from Italy and Turkey first arrived to ease labour shortages in the 1960s. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has said the new law was needed to compete in the global competition for skilled labour with countries like Canada and the US.