Overview
- Following his Syria visit, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul questioned rapid returns, with the chancellor backing him as Serap Güler labeled the intra-party dispute unnecessary.
- Migration scholar Daniel Thym cited about 1.2 million people of Syrian origin in Germany, including roughly 300,000 naturalized and 400,000 with residence status, leaving around 500,000 theoretically returnable but subject to individual review.
- Thym estimated only 5,000 to 10,000 Syrians could be deported by the end of the legislative period due to legal, logistical and judicial constraints.
- Güler pointed to a projected 115,000 to 120,000 asylum applications this year—about half last year’s level—and said removals focus on offenders and security risks, with others encouraged to leave voluntarily.
- On ZDF, Markus Lanz challenged the Union’s promised ‘Asylwende,’ as guests warned of poor expectation management and a lack of visible results.