Overview
- After visiting devastated districts near Damascus, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said large‑scale voluntary returns are not feasible in the short term because dignified living conditions are lacking.
- Senior CDU figures publicly criticized his assessment, while the Foreign Office clarified he was referring to voluntary returns rather than government‑organised deportations.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz endorsed returning people to Syria and said those refusing to go back can be deported, as he highlighted an invitation to interim president Ahmed al‑Scharaa to discuss cooperation.
- The Interior Ministry says it is working on an agreement with Damascus to enable returns, has ruled out so‑called exploratory trips for refugees, and officials stress deportations would start with serious offenders and Gefährder.
- Roughly 948,000 Syrian nationals live in Germany, yet only about 900 are currently removable without a tolerated status, underscoring the limited immediate scope for deportations.