The German government remains committed to resuming deportations to Syria, despite recent massacres targeting the Druze minority. This stance, revealed in a response from the Foreign Office to a parliamentary inquiry by the Left Party – reported by “Welt” – underscores a continuation of policies previously outlined in the coalition agreement. The response stated that the government is “working towards enabling” deportations, supporting states and working towards their implementation.
The inquiry originated from Cansu Özdemir, the Left Party’s spokesperson for foreign policy, who criticized the government’s normalization of the Syrian interim government given the ongoing violence perpetrated by groups allegedly associated with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. She argued that the government should not treat a regime responsible for such atrocities as a reliable partner.
Luise Amtsberg, a Green Party politician and former Human Rights Commissioner, echoed this sentiment, calling the resumption of deportation discussions “irresponsible” given the precarious situation in Syria. She argued the government should refrain from exploiting the instability for political gain.
Alexander Throm, the CDU’s spokesperson for internal affairs, defended the government’s approach, asserting that the grounds for asylum – persecution by the Assad regime and civil war – no longer apply. He specifically suggested that Sunni Arab populations, which constitute the majority of Syrian residents in Germany, can now safely return.
While acknowledging the Syrian government’s responsibility to protect its citizens regardless of their religious or ethnic background and demanding accountability for those responsible for violence against minorities, a spokesperson for the SPD party stated that the intention remains to eventually resume deportations, prioritizing convicted criminals and individuals deemed a security risk, when conditions allow.
Markus Frohnmaier, spokesperson for the AfD’s foreign policy team, suggested that engagement with even unsavory entities may be necessary to advance national interests, drawing a comparison to dealings with the Taliban in Afghanistan, with the ultimate goal being to facilitate widespread deportations.
The timing of any potential resumption of deportations remains uncertain. In early July, the Federal Ministry of the Interior instructed the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) to reinstate the ability to revoke Syrian asylum cases for convicted criminals and security risks, contingent on a complete rejection of their protection claims based on individual circumstances.
A ministry spokesperson confirmed that Bamf is currently only issuing provisional decisions concerning Syrian asylum applications, largely dictated by the Dublin III Regulation. A decision regarding a broader resumption of decision-making processes has not yet been reached, reflecting the volatile and unpredictable nature of the situation in Syria.
