The German government is reportedly accelerating its deportation policies towards Syria, signaling a significant shift in asylum proceedings and drawing sharp political divisions. According to reports in “Welt am Sonntag” Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) intends to broaden the categories of individuals subject to deportation, moving beyond convicted criminals and security risks to encompass a considerably larger group.
Until the end of September, decisions on asylum applications from Syrian nationals were subject to a temporary suspension. This pause has now been lifted, with the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) resuming processing of applications from “young, employable, single men”. A BAMF spokesperson confirmed that these individuals, predominantly of Sunni faith, are now prioritized for assessment. Exceptions remain in place for members of ethnic and religious minorities. Furthermore, the re-examination of voluntary return cases, also beginning with young men, is again being pursued.
Asylrechtsexperte Daniel Thyhm has defended the prioritization by the Interior Ministry as “understandable” citing growing evidence suggesting that, after individual assessment, Syrian men of Sunni faith have a significantly lower chance of successful asylum claims. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politician Alexander Throm echoed this sentiment, arguing that the end of the civil war and Assad’s regime removes barriers to return for Sunni Arabs and that conditions allow for content-based review of asylum applications.
However, this shift is facing considerable opposition. Sonja Eichwede, the deputy parliamentary group chair of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), acknowledged that while individual application scrutiny is now possible, decisions regarding family asylum remain independent of the on-the-ground situation.
The Green Party and the Left Party vehemently contest the government’s assessment. Filiz Polat, parliamentary group secretary for the Greens, insists that Syria remains “neither safe nor stable” highlighting widespread infrastructural devastation, inadequate medical care and a scarcity of clean drinking water. Clara Bünger, a domestic policy expert for the Left Party, argues that deportations into such circumstances are incompatible with human rights. Even the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has taken a hard line, reinforcing the view that asylum is temporary protection and that individuals must be returned.
The move has received the backing of Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU), who praised Dobrindt’s approach. He stressed the continued provision of humanitarian aid and the desire to avoid deporting those well integrated, but reiterated the necessity of removing criminals and setting limits on the flow of new refugees, including young Syrian men who have not integrated. The policy shift undeniably underscores a hardening stance on asylum, fraught with ethical and political ramifications and poised to fuel further debate regarding Germany’s obligations to those seeking refuge.