In 2023, EU countries granted citizenship to more than one million foreign residents, marking a 6% rise from 2022, according to Eurostat. Spain, Italy, Germany, and France led in citizenship grants, accounting for 78% of all naturalizations. While Sweden had the second-highest naturalizations per capita, it experienced a notable drop from the previous year. The top three nationalities acquiring citizenship were Syrians, Moroccans, and Albanians. Citizenship grants reflect legal ties between individuals and states, with beneficiaries gaining EU citizenship benefits, including rights to travel and vote within the EU.
"Citizenship is the legal bond between an individual and a state, acquired by birth, naturalisation, or other means according to national legislation," says Eurostat.
Spain was the country that granted the largest number of citizenships (240,200), followed by Italy (213,600), Germany (199,800) and France (97,300).
Overall, these five countries accounted for 78 percent of new citizenships in the EU in 2023.
While it is somewhat expected that the biggest countries record the biggest number of new citizens, Sweden - the tenth EU state by population - was fifth in the ranking of naturalisations.
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