State commends NRW for tracking dual citizens
In a move aimed at enhancing the monitoring of potential flight risks, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has become the first German federal state to decide on recording multiple nationalities in police crime statistics (PKS), with the practice set to commence retroactively from July 1, 2025.
The initiative, announced by NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul, has sparked a nationwide debate. Reul argued that multiple nationalities could indicate potential flight risks and escape possibilities in relation to detention grounds. However, the move has been met with criticism from various quarters.
NRW's decision to record multiple nationalities in criminal statistics is currently unique in Germany. So far, only German citizenship is recorded for persons with German and another citizenship in the nationwide statistics. The Police Union in NRW has criticised the new measure, while Julia Höller, the interior spokeswoman for the Greens, distanced herself from the directive to police authorities, stating that it brings no additional insights for police work and plays into the hands of the far-right AfD.
Reul's announcement was reportedly surprising to the Greens, who govern with him in NRW. His coalition partner has expressed disapproval, with some suggesting that the move could compromise the principles of equal treatment and non-discrimination.
The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior finds the approach interesting and will closely examine the first results from NRW before making any decisions. Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) has expressed sympathy for Reul's proposal but emphasises the need for discussions among the federal states and the federal government. Coordination with all states is necessary to record corresponding data in the PKS.
Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) has rejected the initiative to record dual citizenship in criminal statistics, while Schleswig-Holstein's Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack (CDU) is open to a debate on the issue but advocates careful examination of any changes to the PKS recording methods.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior, however, has praised NRW's initiative, arguing that recording all citizenships would lead to more transparency. The PKS commission, which is subordinate to the working group on criminal police of the interior ministers' conference of the federal and state governments, will make decisions on the uniform PKS recording for all participating partners.
In conclusion, the recording of multiple nationalities in police crime statistics in Germany is a contentious issue, with NRW leading the way. The outcomes in NRW will be closely monitored by other federal states and the federal government, with debates and discussions expected to continue in the coming months.
