Since the fall of Assad, over 1,300 Syrians have made their way back to their home country, Germany.
In the heart of Europe, Germany, a country that has welcomed over 850,000 Syrian refugees since the start of the civil war in 2011, is now facing a significant policy shift. The ongoing Syrian conflict, with Bashar al-Assad still in power, has influenced Germany's policies, moving from an open reception to one that emphasises integration controls and support for voluntary return, although specifics on current return programs are not extensively detailed.
In a notable development, German Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, announced last week that the government is working on organizing additional deportation flights to Afghanistan and Syria. This policy shift marks a departure from the previous approach of encouraging Syrians to leave Germany of their own free will.
The initial focus of this policy will be on convicted criminals, with the German government already renewing the deportation of people to Afghanistan. However, the push for deportations to Syria has faced criticism due to the continued precariousness of the security situation in the country.
In a bid to enable Syrians to make the decision to return to Syria voluntarily, the German government has taken steps such as suspending processing asylum applications for Syrians, except in certain individual cases, and putting other applications on hold while the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) assesses the security situation in Syria.
In April, the Interior Ministry announced that Syrian refugees could visit their home country for short periods without fear of losing their protected status. This move was intended to provide Syrians with a chance to reconnect with their families and homeland, potentially encouraging a voluntary return.
Despite these efforts, over 1,337 Syrians living in Germany have voluntarily returned to Syria since December last year. However, the ongoing conflict and political instability in Syria continue to complicate the process of voluntary return.
This policy change comes as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz marks his first 100 days in office. Merz's administration is navigating complex domestic and international issues, with the refugee policy being one of the key areas of focus.
As Germany continues to grapple with the challenges of managing migration flows and ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens, the future of its refugee policy remains a topic of ongoing debate and discussion.
- The German government's new policy, under the administration of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, involves organizing additional deportation flights to Afghanistan and Syria, which represents a significant departure from the previous policy of encouraging Syrians to leave Germany voluntarily.
- The ongoing Syrian conflict and political instability in the country have impeded the process of voluntary return for Syrian refugees in Germany, despite the German government's efforts to enable Syrians to make this decision, such as suspending asylum application processing for Syrians and allowing temporary visits to Syria without fear of losing protected status.
