People applying for naturalization in Germany will now be required to affirm Israel’s right to exist, under changes to the country’s citizenship law. The legislation, which came into effect Thursday, is part of a larger citizenship overhaul from Berlin as the government grapples with rising antisemitism, a surge in popularity for the far right, and fierce debate over its response to Israel’s war in Gaza. The country’s naturalization exam will now include a number of new questions, according to a statement from the interior ministry. “In response to increasing antisemitism in Germany, the list of questions in the naturalization test has been expanded. New exam questions have been added on the topics of antisemitism, the right of the state of Israel to exist and Jewish life in Germany,” it said. The war in Gaza, and Berlin’s strong support for Israel, has fueled much discussion in Germany. In the aftermath of…
