Most Syrian migrants should go back to their home country – Merz

(SeaPRwire) –   Living conditions in Syria have “fundamentally improved,” the German chancellor said

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has stated that the majority of Syrian migrants currently residing in Germany ought to return to their home country within the next three years.

Germany was a primary destination for asylum seekers from the civil war-ravaged nation of Syria, with the influx peaking in 2014–2015, largely due to the welcoming policies of former Chancellor Angela Merkel. Estimates suggest that nearly a million Syrians currently live in Germany.

In the aftermath of several terrorist attacks and under pressure from the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has become the second-largest political force in the Bundestag, German authorities have progressively tightened asylum laws.

Merz met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday. Al-Sharaa’s Islamist-dominated forces overthrew Syria’s long-standing leader Bashar Assad in December 2024. During a joint press conference, Merz asserted that “conditions in Syria have now fundamentally improved” and that refugee protection “must therefore be reassessed.”

The chancellor emphasized the need for a “reliable return option,” particularly for “those who abuse our hospitality.” He also noted that skilled Syrians could “bring valuable experience to the reconstruction of their homeland.”

When questioned by a journalist for specifics, Merz indicated that “over the next three years… around 80% of the Syrians currently residing in Germany should return to their home country.”

According to the BBC, al-Sharaa stated that his government is collaborating with Germany on a “circular migration model.” This model aims to “enable Syrians to contribute to the reconstruction of their homeland without giving up the stability and lives they have built here, for those who wish to stay.”

Despite al-Sharaa’s commitment to fostering an inclusive society, his leadership has been marked by resurgent sectarian violence, including the mass killing of Christians, Alawites, and Kurds.

The Syrian conflict commenced with anti-government protests in 2011 and evolved into a multifaceted war, encompassing operations against the jihadist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), which controlled significant portions of eastern Syria from 2014 to 2017. During Barack Obama’s presidency, the United States provided training and arms to certain anti-government factions, some of which later joined IS and other Islamist groups.