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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz affirmed the beginning of the process of returning Syrian refugees to their country, stressing that “the war is over, and there is no longer any justification” for seeking asylum. He emphasized that those who refuse voluntary return will be deported.
Merz added that he invited Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Germany “to discuss the issue.”
During a visit to Husum in northern Germany on Monday, Merz said, “There is no longer any reason to seek asylum in Germany.”
He argued that it is now possible to begin returning Syrians to their country, adding, “Those who refuse to return to their country — we can of course deport them.”
His foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, struck a more cautious tone during his visit to Damascus on Thursday, noting that the return of Syrians to their homeland is only “possible to a very limited extent, as a large part of the country’s infrastructure has been destroyed” after 13 years of war.
His remarks were met with criticism from many members of his Christian Democratic Party — the same party to which Merz belongs — who rejected the idea that the scale of destruction should be considered a “reason” preventing either voluntary or mandatory returns of Syrians.
Merz added that Syria “needs all its strength — and above all, its people — for reconstruction,” expressing confidence that many will return voluntarily.
He noted that he had invited Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit Germany to discuss the deportation of Syrian nationals with criminal records. Merz stressed that Germany also wants to help stabilize the country, adding that he intends to discuss with al-Sharaa “how we can solve this issue together.”
In early July, Germany’s Interior Ministry announced that it intends to deport Syrian nationals convicted of misdemeanors and crimes. Around 1 million Syrians live in Germany, most of whom arrived during the major migration wave of 2015–2016.
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