Germany Invites Syrian Transitional President to Discuss Deportation of Convicted Refugees

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that he had extended an invitation to Syrian Transitional Government President Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit Berlin in order to discuss the repatriation of Syrian nationals who have been convicted of criminal offenses in Germany.

In remarks to reporters, Merz stated that his country “will continue deporting criminals to Syria,” adding, “This is the plan, and we will begin implementing it in a very concrete way.” He noted that Berlin also seeks to “help achieve stability in Syria,” confirming his intention to address this issue with al-Sharaa during the upcoming visit.

The German Chancellor added, “The civil war in Syria is over, and there are no longer sufficient reasons for Syrians to seek asylum in Germany,” as he put it.

These statements come as the German government moves toward tightening its immigration and deportation policies, nearly a decade after former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “open-door policy” of 2015, under which Germany accepted around one million refugees, including a large number of Syrians.

Observers believe the new step reflects growing domestic political pressure on Merz’s government from right-wing parties calling for a reassessment of Syrian refugees’ status and for designating some areas in Syria as “safe for return.”