BERLIN (AP) — Germany saw another big increase in the number of people gaining citizenship last year as large numbers of people from Syria helped push naturalizations up to their highest level since at least 2000, according to official data released Tuesday.
About 200,100 people were granted German citizenship in 2023, the Federal Statistical Office said. That was an increase of about 31,000, or 19%, compared with the previous year.
The increase followed a 28% rise in 2022, which also was fueled by large numbers of Syrians being naturalized as increasing numbers of people who migrated to Germany between 2014 and 2016 fulfilled the requirements for citizenship.
Last year, 75,500 people from Syria were naturalized — the biggest single group, accounting for 38% of the total — the statistics office said. That number was up 56% compared with 2022. They had spent an average 6.8 years in Germany before becoming citizens.
About 10,700 citizens each of Turkey and Iraq became German citizens last year, putting those groups in second place.
The overall number of new citizens was the highest since current records started in 2000 following a change in the law under which people of German ancestry from the former Soviet Union, who arrived in large numbers in the 1990s, were automatically granted citizenship rather than having to apply for it.
Requirements for being granted citizenship include a working knowledge of German and proof of being able to support oneself financially.
Under the law as it was last year, people were in principle required to have lived in Germany for at least eight years, though that didn't apply to spouses and children. The period could be reduced to six years for people who show “special integration accomplishments” such as very good knowledge of the language, professional achievements or civic engagement.
Those rules are being eased under new legislation that will take effect on June 27. People will be eligible for citizenship after five years in Germany, or three in case of “special integration accomplishments." German-born children will automatically become citizens if one parent has been a legal resident for five years, down from eight years now.
Restrictions on holding dual citizenship will also be dropped. In principle, most people from countries other than European Union members and Switzerland have had to give up their previous nationality when they gained German citizenship, though there were some exemptions.
Germany has about 84 million inhabitants.
FILE - A person holds German and French, left, passports during a demonstration march to protest government plans to reform the education system, in Paris, France, Tuesday, May 19, 2015. Official data shows another big increase in the number of people gaining German citizenship last year. According to the figures released Tuesday, May 28, 2024, large numbers of people from Syria helped push naturalizations up to their highest level since at least 2000. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Cam Rising threw for 92 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game due to an injury to his throwing hand as No. 11 Utah beat Baylor 23-12 on Saturday.
Rising scrambled and released the ball just before being driven out of bounds and was shoved into the water coolers on the Baylor sideline with 1:55 left in the second quarter and went to the locker room for X-rays.
Rising returned to the sidelines in street clothes with the middle fingers of his right hand taped together.
The team did not provide additional information about the quarterback's injury and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said after the game only that Rising's injury is “not real serious.”
Backup quarterback Isaac Wilson led the Utes’ offense after halftime for a second straight game. Utah had only 95 yards in the second half with Wilson leading the offense.
“Certainly, when Cam left the game that was a downer for us,” Whittingham said. “But the world can’t stop turning when Cam exits a game. We got to keep playing, which we did, but we got to be productive, which we were not real productive on offense.”
Micah Bernard rushed for 118 yards to lead Utah (2-0).
Dequan Finn threw for 115 yards and a touchdown in his second start for Baylor (1-1). Finn struggled against Utah’s defense, losing a fumble and getting sacked three times.
“I think he got caught up and wanted to prove people wrong and wanted to make the play and do all these things,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “And I think we’re still fighting that.”
Utah controlled play on both sides of the ball in the first half.
The Utes got on the board midway through the first quarter when Money Parks caught a short pass and turned it into a 28-yard reverse. Rising faked a handoff to Dijon Stanley before flipping the ball to Parks, who scored untouched.
Utah extended its lead to 14-0 on a 2-yard catch by Micah Bernard 20 seconds later. Connor O’ Toole forced Finn to fumble on a blindside hit and Karene Reid recovered the ball at the Baylor 3, setting up the Utes’ second touchdown.
Baylor had minus-10 yards on 10 plays in the first quarter.
Tao Johnson grabbed the ball on a blocked 50-yard field goal attempt and then raced 77 yards down the sideline to extend Utah’s lead to 23-0 with 5:21 left in the second quarter. Johnson was the first Utah player to score a touchdown off a blocked field goal since Jay Hill in 1999 against Wyoming.
It was also just the fifth touchdown off a blocked field goal in school history.
“I was debating on getting out of the way or catching it,” Johnson said. “And I was like, ‘Screw it, I’m gonna catch it.’ So I caught it, took off, and it was just green grass.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Baylor: The Bears had a nightmarish start on offense and never fully recovered. Baylor did not gain a first down until midway through the second quarter and totaled 48 yards by halftime.
Utah: Another dominant performance for the Utes came at a price. Rising suffered an apparent injury to his throwing hand and an extended absence could affect the trajectory of Utah’s season.
GETTING THE CALL
Wilson struggled to move the chains in his second career college game. The true freshman completed 4 of 9 passes for 30 yards. But he will start for Utah against in-state rival Utah State if Rising is unable to return to the lineup.
Whittingham expressed confidence in Wilson to get the job done if he ends up being the team's No. 1 quarterback for an indefinite period.
“He just needs to accrue reps,” Whittingham said. “He is taking steps forward. He’s our guy. He’s the no. 2 guy clearly right now. That’s where we’re at with Isaac.”
Wilson is eager to take a big step forward if he does get his first career start.
“I came into that situation out of nowhere but I got to be ready,” Wilson said. “I got to be there for my teammates. There’s a lot of plays I could have had back and we’re going to go into the film room and we’re going to evaluate that.”
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Utah should move into the top 10 in the next AP Poll on Sunday following the victory.
UP NEXT
Baylor: Hosts Air Force on Saturday.
Utah: At Utah State on Saturday.
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Utah quarterback Cameron Rising (7) throws against Baylor in the first half during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Utah quarterback Cameron Rising (7) tcarries the ball; against Baylor in the first half during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Utah quarterback Cameron Rising (7) runs past Baylor linebacker Keaton Thomas (11) in the first half during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
