The German Hospital Association (DKG) has warned against the federal chancellor Friedrich Merz’s (CDU) plans to force a large portion of the Syrian population residing in Germany to leave within the next few years.
“Syrian doctors constitute the largest group among foreign physicians in Germany” said DKG Deputy Chairman Henriette Neumeyer in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. “They play a major role in the healthcare system” she added.
At the end of 2024, 5,745 Syrian doctors were employed in German hospitals. Syrian nurses and other nursing professionals are also considered essential. The DKG estimates that over 2,000 Syrian nurses work in German hospitals. Neumeyer cautioned that if these professionals were to return to the country of their origins, the impact on healthcare services would be significant. “Forcing a return would not be productive for the healthcare system” she said.
During a joint press briefing with Syrian transitional president Ahmed al‑Scharaa, Chancellor Merz told reporters in Berlin on Monday that roughly 80 % of Syrians still living in Germany should leave the country within a longer-term perspective of the next three years and return to their homeland.