[random878]

I'm curious why he didn't apply for German citizenship two years ago when this process started. It's not like he isn't eligible. He's has been in Germany since the 1970s. It's disingenuous to say he is being pushed out by Brexit.

[techsupporter]

It's probably the same reasons a lot of long-time green card holders in the US don't apply for US citizenship. Applying for another country's citizenship can be daunting (even if it is "simple" it still involves many steps), expensive, time-consuming, and possibly have an uncertain outcome (what if it doesn't work)? For a lot of people, citizenship is either something they don't worry about at all--because what they have works for them--or something they worry about very much because what they have doesn't work and they can't get the one that does.

This gentleman likely fell into the former category and had more important, to him, things on his mind than "what does this piece of paper in my file cabinet say about where I'm allowed to live." Besides, he may have firmly believed all of the things said by the British government about how "Brexit won't change the status of settled EU citizens" and thought that applied to him and so on.

It's easy to dismiss his concerns without having lived his life and I don't think we should do that.

[random878]

That's not the same thing at all. Brexit is different.

Prior to Brexit, country of origin really didn't matter. Who cared if you lived in Germany but had a UK passport. It didn't matter.

Now, like it or not, we have a situation where the circumstances have change. That privilege has been taken away. We have had at least two years notice of this change. This is why there is such a surge for Irish passport applications.

Wanting to be in Germany on a UK passport post Brexit is a meaningful as wanting to be in the USA on a UK passport.

[starbugs]

He could do that, but dual citizenship is hard to acquire in Germany so that might be a reason to not do it I guess.

[sveme]

It‘s extremely simple. Several friends of mine have gone through the process and just had to do the language and society tests. Should not be an issue for someone who lived here for fifty years.

[random878]

It's not. Plenty of people have done it.

[richrichardsson]

He'd have to renounce his British citizenship though in order to get German citizenship.

[eastendguy]

No, not for EU citizens.

[diminoten]

You're focusing on the wrong thing here. It's not about whether he could have navigated a fucked up system to solve his specific problem, it's about the fact that the system is so fucked up that it violates expectations to this insane degree (man who lived somewhere for over 40 years peaceably and even contributorily is now having to leave).

[sveme]

He doesn‘t have to leave. He just can‘t stand as a mayor anymore. No Brit has to leave, that has been clarified by all EU host countries.

[frnkng]

He is not required to leave. As stated in the text he is probably loosing his job as mayor as soon as the Brexit happens.

[tannhaeuser]

He doesn't have to leave. He just can't be a mayor unless he's willing to apply to German citizenship (which he'd get in a heatbeat) because you're required to be an EU citizen for that. Have you read TFA at all?

[random878]

Lots of things change in life, regardless of how much we don't want it or how fair it is. I don't want Brexit either, but that's not going to change it.