Scholz sets out his immigration vision

Germany's new chancellor Olaf Scholz has called the country "an immigration country" and announced plans for naturalization to be speeded up and for dual citizenship rules to be relaxed.

In the traditional new government speech to the Bundestag, Scholz outlined his plans for the next four years, as he settles into office as the country's ninth chancellor, having replaced Angela Merkel, who held the position for 16 years.

As well as a new approach to immigration, he also spoke about green energy policies and measures to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"Germany is an immigration country," said Scholz. "It's high time we understand ourselves. Therefore it's high time we make it easier to become a German citizen.

"It is only on this basis that we can make full integration and political participation possible."

Currently, it takes eight years to become a German citizen, but this will be reduced to five years, with a special three-year fast-track for those who make special efforts to integrate.

He also said that rules would be relaxed on the holding of more than one passport, which will be of particular help to non-European Union nationals living in Germany.

"We're going to make multiple citizenship possible, which is in keeping with many people in this country," he said, adding that he planned for overseas educational qualifications to be given greater recognition, making it easier for immigrants to find employment.

Scholz also stressed the importance of moving away from fossil fuels and toward greener energy sources, something he said would be done with "fair distribution of cost" to give people the "safety and security" of switching to renewable resources. He said a mixture of private finance and government subsidies would drive the new policy.

The opening 10 minutes of the speech were devoted to the pandemic, and he used stronger language than Merkel ever did when discussing Germany's vaccination rate. Around 70 percent of the population has been double-jabbed, with 26 percent having also had their booster shot.

Scholz said he could not understand why take-up levels were not higher, after every adult had been given the opportunity to have two doses of vaccine, and attacked what he called the "truth denial, absurd conspiracy theories, wanton disinformation and primed-for-violence extremists.

"If (people had taken up their vaccine offer) we would have the pandemic under control by now," he said. "Then we could experience a meaningful Christmas with our old freedoms."

Earlier this week, armed police in the state of Saxony raided a number of houses after messages were found discussing a plot to kill the state's prime minister over novel coronavirus restrictions.

A "small minority of extremists "would not be allowed "to try to impose their will on our entire society", said Scholz, adding that "our democracy is ready to defend itself and knows how to do it".