The Green Party’s Spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs in the German Bundestag, Deborah Düring, is calling for a right to stay for all Syrian refugees in Germany. According to Düring, all Syrians who have found a new home in Germany should be allowed to remain, as they have built a life here and are an integral part of society. “Many were born here, Germany is their home, and they deserve more respect” she said in an interview with the news portal T-Online.
This stance contradicts that of the Green Party’s Chancellor candidate, Robert Habeck, who recently advocated for the return of refugees without a job to Syria. Düring criticized Habeck’s position, saying that the refugees have built a life in Germany, and are our neighbors, friends, doctors, and craftsmen.
The Union has been discussing the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland since the fall of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024. Union faction leader Jens Spahn has already called for start-up grants and charter flights for returning Syrians, a proposal that Düring sharply criticized. “It was shameless that parts of the Union brought up the return of the refugees to Syria on the day of the Assad coup” she said. “This not only shows a lack of expertise on the situation on the ground, but was also a moral failure.”
Ultimately, Düring believes that the decision of where to live is up to each individual. Instead of advocating for the return of refugees, she is calling for further support for those who voluntarily want to return to Syria. “The people who want to rebuild Syria deserve our greatest respect” she said. “This includes the possibility for Syrian refugees to travel to Syria without worrying about their residency status in Europe.