Future of Syrians in Germany: Deportations are causing an uproar!

Future of Syrians in Germany: Deportations are causing an uproar!

The debate about deportations to Syria is currently dividing Germany's political landscape. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul's visit to Syria particularly fueled the discussion. Wadephul himself was deeply shocked by the extent of the destruction in the country devastated by the civil war. “Hardly people can live with dignity in a heavily devastated suburb of Damascus,” he said. This statement not only caused unrest within the Union, but was also interpreted differently by different political camps. Tim Klüssendorf, general secretary of the SPD, described Wadephul's comments as "very balanced" and emphasized the complexity of the situation in Syria. For the Greens and the Left, however, one thing is clear: deportations to Syria are irresponsible because the risks for the people living there are far too high.

The political tensions in the Union are clearly noticeable. While some party colleagues cannot understand Wadephul's statements, Günter Krings, deputy group leader, argues that a return is conceivable and should be striven for by most Syrians. Saxony-Anhalt's CDU leader Sven Schulze calls for a clear strategy for the return of Syrian refugees, while Alexander Hoffmann, chairman of the CSU MPs, emphasizes the need for agreements with Syria on deportations. “A sham conflict,” complains CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann. In this back and forth, there is probably no clear line when it comes to the repatriation of refugees.

The humanitarian situation in Syria

The humanitarian situation in Syria remains precarious. According to reports from Malteser International, around four million Syrians are on the run within the country. The conflict, which is accompanied by the most serious war crimes, has resulted in millions of people having left the country to date. All parties in the conflict are accused of committing massive human rights violations.

With around 950,000 Syrian citizens living in Germany, the Syrian community represents the third largest foreign population group in Germany. Many of them work in the healthcare sector and thus contribute to the German labor market. Despite the mandatory return of around 10,700 Syrians, the number of those actually returning is heavily influenced by the untenable situation in their home country. From the end of 2024 to August 2025, only around 4,600 people voluntarily returned to Syria.

Positions in the political spectrum

The Greens and the Left emphasize the risks of deportations. Their argument is based on the risk of persecution of religious minorities and the possible re-emergence of civil war. Franziska Brantner, leader of the Green Party, expresses concern about the contradictions within the Union and points out that Wadephul experienced the situation directly on site. Jan van Aken, leader of the Left, emphasizes the importance of such visits in order to obtain a realistic picture of the situation in Syria.

On the other hand, Alice Weidel from the AfD makes serious accusations against the CDU and speaks of a “refusal to deportation” that creates new dangers instead of preventing existing ones. The Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt refers to the coalition agreement and the plans to repatriate Syrian refugees and tries to consolidate the Union's position.

It remains to be seen how the discussion about repatriations will develop. The different positions within the Union and the clear rejection of deportations by the Greens and the Left show that a lot of water still has to flow under the bridge. Given the complex situation in Syria, it is clear that a unified course will be increasingly difficult to find.