German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is now planning to send thousands of Syrian refugees back to their home nation after suppressing the speech of right-wingers who have long advised the same.
Merz said on Monday that he will begin discussing repatriation of Syrians in Germany after a new government under Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa ousted Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. Currently, there are roughly 1 million Syrian refugees in Germany, most of whom were fleeing the devastation of their country’s civil war.
“The civil war in Syria is over,” Merz told reporters Monday. “There are now no longer any grounds for asylum in Germany, which means we can begin repatriating people.”
Merz has previously refused to work with the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has been at the forefront of anti-immigration policy in the nation’s parliament. In fact, Merz’s party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), instead formed a coalition government with the left-wing Social Democratic Party (SPD).
AfD has seen a major surge in popularity amid persistent calls to clamp down on foreign immigration. However, the German government has repeatedly worked to silence the party, labeling them as an “extremist” organization in May.
Germany has long struggled with an influx of Syrian refugees, some of whom were responsible for terrorist attacks and plots in the nation. Across Europe, the influx of refugees prompted political backlash, emboldening right-wing, anti-immigration parties and pressuring liberal governments to crack down on immigration.
Vice President JD Vance criticized Europe’s pervasive censorship laws during the Munich Security Conference in February, while also voicing support for AfD during his visit.
Al-Sharaa’s coalition of rebel factions has restored a semblance of stability to the nation. While doubts still remain as to the long-term viability of al-Sharaa’s government, so far the leader has held the nation together. While al-Sharaa has attempted to rehabilitate Syria’s image, sectarian violence remains a major concern, as government-affiliated forces have committed mass killings and attacks on both the Alawite and Druze minorities in the nation.
The German government did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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