Published December 17, 2024 at 08.20
Foreign Affairs. The Christian Democratic Party leader Friedrich Merz, who looks set to soon become Chancellor of Germany, uses sharp rhetoric when he talks about the country's approximately one million Syrian immigrants. A large part of them must go home, he notes.
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Unlike Sweden, Germany has only granted citizenship to a smaller proportion of its Syrian immigrants.
In Sweden, instead, four out of five Syrians have already received Swedish passports – many by the current government – which makes repatriation impossible if Sweden is to follow its international commitments and continue to be part of the EU.
Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and thus candidate for the position of Chancellor of Germany in the upcoming new elections, is now launching a harsh attack on Germany's current migration policy and demanding that a large proportion of the country's Syrian immigrants be sent back to their homeland.
During an interview with ARD, Merz states that only “one third” of Syrians in Germany are integrated and working, while “two thirds are not working.”
– Many of them can return, and many must return, says Merz, who also states that a large proportion of Syrians are young men.
Merz emphasizes that those who are not “integrated” represent a great burden for German taxpayers. According to official statistics, around one million Syrians live in Germany. Of these, 210,000 are employed, 250,000 are “job seekers” and a further 150,000 are unemployed.
After the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, discussions about return migration have gained momentum throughout Europe. The CDU's Bavarian sister party, the CSU, also supports rapid deportations, especially for criminals. The CSU group leader in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt, says that voluntary returnees should receive financial support while criminals should be deported without delay.
However, the proposals are facing resistance. The Greens, with whom the CDU plans to cooperate after the February elections, have already rejected demands for mass repatriation of Syrians. Lamya Kaddor, the party's spokesperson for domestic affairs, criticizes the CDU's line. “By combining returnee demands with economic incentives, the CDU shows that they are using migration policy as an election gimmick,” she says. “Lamya Kaddor believes that many Syrians have already become German citizens and are contributing to society.” The social democratic SPD also accuses the CDU of being unethical. “Talking about deportations now, at a time of uncertainty in Syria, is cynical and undignified,” says SPD deputy group leader Dirk Wiese. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD), on the other hand, supports the CDU's demands and calls for an even tougher stance.” Although the CDU still refuses to cooperate with the AfD, both parties now advocate a stricter migration policy. The discussions are expected to be crucial ahead of the upcoming new elections in February 2025, as the migration issue now dominates the political debate in Germany.