US EditionMerz Declares Syria No Longer Grounds for Asylum, Seeks Deportation with Interim Leader
Chancellor Merz says Syrians in Germany should return to rebuild Syria following Assad's fall, citing no asylum grounds; about 1 million Syrians reside in Germany.
- On Nov 3, Chancellor Friedrich Merz invited Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Germany to discuss deporting convicted Syrians and said, `Those who refuse to return to their country can, of course, be deported in the future.`
- With around one million Syrians in Germany, most having fled during the 2015–2016 migration wave, Merz said Syria `needs all its strength, and above all Syrians, to rebuild` and Germany wants to help stabilise the country.
- In 2024, Syrians were the largest group naturalised in Germany, accounting for 83,150 people, while only around 1,000 returned with federal assistance in the first half of this year and German hospitals warn of labour shortages if departures accelerate.
- Senior Christian Democratic Union figures swiftly distanced themselves after Merz's remarks, while the far-right Alternative for Germany surged in polls pressuring tougher migration policies; naturalised Syrians and residents with permits cannot be forcibly returned, warned human rights experts .
- Issuing a caution, the United Nations said conditions in Syria rule out large-scale repatriations, noting some 70% of Syrians rely on humanitarian aid, while officials propose a Work and Stay Agency to speed skilled-worker processing.
149 Articles
149 Articles
The National Pulse
Conservative AngleGermany to Start Deporting Syrians Now Civil War Is Over.
PULSE POINTSWHAT HAPPENED: Germany has announced plans to deport Syrian migrants, citing the end of the civil war in Syria.WHO WAS INVOLVED: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and Syrian migrants.WHEN & WHERE: Germany, following the conclusion of the Syrian civil war in December 2024.KEY QUOTE: “There are now absolutely no grounds for asylum in Germany, and therefore we can begin deportations.” – Friedrich MerzIM…
For the first time, a German court has declared deportations to Syria permissible and legitimate, claiming that the Syrians “are no longer under threat” in their country. The Administrative Court of Düsseldorf has just given the green light to the expulsion of two Syrian citizens. According to the judgment they will not be “no significant danger”, given that in the regions of origin of the two men, the provinces of Damascus and Latakia, the leve…
Health centers in Syria affected by funding cuts
The WHO’s interim representative in Syria, Christina Bethke, reported that 417 health centers have been affected since mid-year due to reduced funding, while 366 medical facilities have been forced to suspend or reduce their services. During a UN press conference held via videoconference from Damascus, Bethke noted that 7.4 million people are already suffering the consequences of reduced access to medicines and treatments. In the last two months…
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