Overview
- After touring devastated Harasta near Damascus, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said many Syrians cannot return soon because “hardly anyone can live in dignity” there.
- Senior CDU figures including Günter Krings and Sven Schulze rejected that reasoning, arguing most Syrians can now return and are needed for reconstruction.
- The coalition line remains to restart returns to Syria beginning with criminals and security threats, with the Interior Ministry negotiating arrangements with Damascus and maintaining a ban on refugee “exploratory visits.”
- CDU leaders Carsten Linnemann and Kanzleramtsminister Thorsten Frei called the dispute a “Scheinkonflikt,” and Chancellor Friedrich Merz said those who refuse to go back can be deported, noting an invitation to interim leader Ahmed al‑Scharaa.
- Context from authorities shows about 948,000 Syrian nationals live in Germany, but only around 900 are currently out of status without toleration and thus immediately deportable.