How the authorities treat Germans living abroad as ‘second-class citizens’

The administrative authorities do not have reliable figures on Germans living abroad. Reputable estimates – such as those from OECD 2015 – suggest that there are over 3.5 million German emigrants in the OECD countries alone. The range of administrative services offered by German diplomatic missions abroad is significantly more limited than that provided by German local authorities. In many areas, they essentially act as intermediaries between authorities in Germany. However, in many areas, they do not even fulfil this role.

Read the full article here by Prof. Robert Müller-Török, Ludwigsburg University of Public Administration and Finance (and an expat himself) on the forgotten clients of the administration.