Germany's Merz Invites Syrian Leader to Talk Deportations

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has asked Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to visit Berlin. The two leaders will discuss sending back Syrians living in Germany who have committed serious crimes.

“We will continue to deport criminals to Syria. That is the plan, and we will implement it concretely,” Merz told reporters on Monday.

He also said the Syrian civil war is over, so people from Syria no longer qualify for asylum in Germany, stating, “There are now no longer any grounds for asylum in Germany.”

Merz wants to work with Sharaa not just on deportations, but also on helping Syria become stable again. “I intend to discuss with President Sharaa how we can solve this together,” he said.

• Germany’s Merz Invites Syrian President Sharaa to Berlin for Talks on Deportations and Stability
• Chancellor Merz Says Syrian War Over, Plans to End Asylum and Resume Deportations
• Germany Shifts Migration Policy as Merz Seeks Deal with Syria’s New Leader on Returning Criminals

This is a big change from ten years ago, when then-Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed more than a million refugees, many of them Syrians fleeing war. Since then, many Germans have grown frustrated with immigration, and support for far-right parties has risen. Merz’s center-right CDU party is now pushing for tougher border rules and faster deportations.

Sharaa took power last December after rebels forced out longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. He’s been traveling the world to rebuild Syria’s relationships, including a trip to Washington planned for early November.

While Merz focuses on law and order at home, some worry that sending people back to Syria could put them in danger, even under new leadership. No date has been set for the Berlin visit, but the meeting could shape how Europe handles returns to countries recovering from war.

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For Germany, it’s a balancing act: enforcing rules while trying to support a nation rebuilding after years of conflict.