US EditionGerman chancellor clarifies Syrian refugee comments after backlash
Merz said the target came from Syria’s president after economists warned a mass return could worsen labour shortages and integration efforts.
- On Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz clarified that the 80 per cent return figure for Syrians was the Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's "wish," stating Germany has "taken note" but recognizes the task's scale.
- During a joint press conference on Monday, Merz stated 80 per cent of Syrians in Germany were expected to return within three years, implying the repatriation of roughly 800,000 people.
- Greens MP Luise Amtsberg warned the goal was "not of this world," while economists cautioned that mass departure would exacerbate labor shortages in construction and healthcare sectors.
- At Chatham House, Syrian President Ahmed described the 80 per cent claim as "somewhat exaggerated," emphasizing that returns require Western investment so refugees need not "start their life from zero."
- While Germany is home to one million Syrians who arrived during the 2015-2016 influx, many have since acquired German citizenship and built "new lives," complicating any repatriation effort.
62 Articles
62 Articles
During the initial visit of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the German chancellor Friedrich Merz, a concrete plan emerged: four-fifths of the approximately 900,000 Syrian citizens should leave in just three years. Now nobody wants to have said that anymore.
Merz wants to send 80 percent of Syrians back to Germany - an expert is calling an alarm: it would have a massive impact on the economy.
Merz Talks Tough on Migration to Halt AfD, Faces Backlash From SPD
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz came under fire after, in recent days, he adopted a more hardline stance on mass migration and Germany’s immigrant population. During a recent debate in the Bundestag, Merz pointed to the indisputable fact that a ‘considerable proportion of violence’ against women is committed by ‘immigrant groups’. These remarks drew sharp condemnation from within his governing coalition, with Social Democratic Party (SPD) parli…
On 30 March, during the visit to Berlin of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Charaa, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that "in the next three years", "about 80% of Syrians" present in Germany should "return" to Syria, presenting this perspective as a wish of the Syrian Head of State intended to contribute to the reconstruction of the country, reports Le Monde. The objective, he added, would be to "repatriate" as a matter of priority people who no l…
A statement by the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (70, CDU) creates fear among the Syrians and chaos in Germany – and a statement by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa (43) in London counters the statement.
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