Governing conservatives in the German state Bavaria say immigrants should use the German language at home as well as in public.

“People who want to remain here on a permanent basis should be encouraged to speak German in public and within the family,” the Christian Social Union (CSU) was quoted as saying by state-run BBC on Monday.

According to the CSU, a supporter of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the controversial concept is still under debate.

Andreas Scheuer, the CSU general secretary, said the draft proposal was “well prepared and widely backed.”

“The idea of speaking German at home is never implementable,” an immigrant residing in Germany said, adding, “We all have our freedom of language…. I believe this (proposal) reflects the failure of integration in Germany and the resulting frustration.”

According to official data, Turks formed Germany’s largest foreign-born group in 2013 with a population of 1.5 million.

The CSU plays an important role in pushing immigration higher up Germany’s political agenda.

SRK/NT/AS