Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), has criticized left-wing activists after it emerged that NGOs are backing a Palestinian couple’s legal challenge against the German government’s refusal to grant them citizenship.
The couple, aged 72 and 68, have lived in Germany for a decade, arriving from Syria in 2015. Both previously worked but are now stateless and in poor health. They receive around €1,800 per month in citizens’ allowance, according to Welt, and have applied for disability certification. Their two children live in Germany and hold German citizenship.
Their application for naturalization was rejected under the current Citizenship Act, which, since 2024, has required applicants to support themselves financially, with no exemptions for elderly or disabled individuals. The rule was introduced by the previous coalition government and replaced an earlier system that allowed such exceptions.
The lawsuit, filed in the Cottbus Administrative Court, is supported by the Society for Civil Rights (GFF), along with “Handicap International” and “Statefree.” GFF lawyer Soraia Da Costa Batista argued that denying naturalization on the grounds of social benefits violates the couple’s rights to equality, privacy, and democratic participation, adding that the state cannot demand self-sufficiency from people “who cannot possibly fulfill” that requirement.
Ein palästinensisches Ehepaar bezieht Bürgergeld und klagt trotzdem auf Einbürgerung – mit Hilfe von NGOs. Zum wiederholten Male versuchen linke Aktivisten, die deutsche Migrationspolitik auszuhebeln. Der NGO-Sumpf muss trockengelegt werden!https://t.co/fhaasY7XJ0
— Alice Weidel (@Alice_Weidel) August 5, 2025Writing on X, Weidel accused left-wing activists of “once again attempting to undermine German migration policy,” and called for the “NGO swamp” to be “drained.”
According to figures provided by the Federal Employment Agency (BA) published in April, spending on German welfare reached a record high of €46.7 billion in 2024, a significant 10 percent increase versus 2023.
When it comes to housing benefits specifically, nearly half of Germany’s €17.68 billion in payments were paid out to foreigners last year.
Of the total, €8.15 billion went to people without German citizenship, even though they make up just around 15 percent of the population.
The remaining €9.53 billion went to German citizens — this includes German-born individuals and those born elsewhere who have become naturalized.
