Overview
- Government spokesman Sebastian Hille said Ahmed al‑Scharaa will begin a two‑day visit on Monday, with a Tuesday meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and a roundtable with business leaders, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.
- Discussions are expected to focus on the return of Syrian refugees and potential reconstruction cooperation, reflecting Berlin’s push for a policy reset with Damascus.
- Kurdishe, Yazidi, Druze, Alevi and Alawite organizations plan demonstrations near the Chancellery on Monday, and Berlin police are preparing large deployments in the city center.
- The Kurdische Gemeinde Deutschland and allied groups accuse forces tied to al‑Scharaa of violent repression and recent attacks on Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo, and they urge the government to cancel the visit.
- The Kurdische Gemeinde Deutschland filed a criminal complaint in November 2025 alleging genocide and war crimes against al‑Scharaa, adding legal scrutiny to the political backlash over hosting him.