It was a high-profile reception for the former Islamist militia leader. Central Berlin’s government quarter was largely cordoned off when Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was welcomed in Berlin and met both Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier.
Not everyone welcomed the visit. Bild, the country’s largest tabloid, reported that al‑Sharaa stayed in a five‑star hotel and called it “the most controversial state visit of the year,” saying he was met by supporters shouting “Allahu Akbar” on arrival.
The German government is walking a political tightrope. Al‑Sharaa, 43, is accused of serious human rights abuses from before — and in some cases after — the overthrow of Bashar Assad. He once commanded the al‑Nusra Front, which was previously allied with al‑Qaeda. Still, German officials have stressed that he is the primary Syrian contact for Berlin.
Germany and Syria are cooperating to encourage the return of Syrians who fled the conflict. At a joint press conference, Merz said the countries would set up a “joint task force” and that a German delegation would visit Syria “in just a few days.” He also surprised reporters by saying he wants 80% of Syrians in Germany to return within three years. Merz argued that, more than a year after Assad’s ouster and the end of the civil war, general conditions in Syria have “fundamentally improved,” and those without a right to stay in Germany — especially people who “abuse our hospitality” — should go back.
About 1 million Syrians live in Germany, most having fled the war that began in 2011; roughly 700,000 are considered asylum seekers. The push for repatriation has been a heated issue inside the government. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) and other conservatives back the view that the conflict is effectively over and that many can return. But some in the coalition disagree.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU), after visiting a devastated Damascus suburb last year, said it was “virtually impossible for people to live a truly dignified life here” and reportedly told the CDU/CSU parliamentary group that parts of Syria looked worse than Germany in 1945. His comments drew fierce criticism from conservatives. NGOs that work with Syrian refugees also argue that deportations to Syria would be inappropriate now.
Several civil society groups had mixed reactions to the Berlin meeting. Sophie Bischoff of Adopt a Revolution said the government was right to receive al‑Sharaa now but warned that civil society still faces severe repression even after Assad’s fall. Farhad Ahma of PEL‑Civil Waves urged Germany to play an active role in Syria’s reconstruction and to press the new authorities not to oppress minorities such as the Kurds. He told reporters that Syria’s future depends on becoming a state for all segments of the population and said many exiled Syrians might see the visit as a historic chance to return and confirm that the old regime is gone.
That, however, poses risks for Syrians in Germany: a return visit could endanger their protected status here.
This article was originally published in German.
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