Chancellor Merz and President al-Sharaa Agree on Syrian Refugee Repatriation Plan

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa agreed on a joint action plan for bilateral cooperation during a meeting in Berlin on Monday, March 30, 2026, with Merz publicly relaying al-Sharaa's stated goal that around 80 percent of the more than 900,000 Syrians currently living in Germany should return to their homeland within three years. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Tuesday confirmed the figure represents official government policy, backing Merz's position while on a visit to Kyiv. The joint action plan, published on Tuesday, contains no specific return numbers but commits both governments to strengthening repatriation procedures and promoting voluntary returns. According to data from the Central Register of Foreigners, approximately 930,000 Syrian nationals currently reside in Germany.

Wadephul confirms 80% return target from Kyiv Wadephul, speaking in Kyiv on Tuesday when asked directly whether it is the Federal Government's goal that 80 percent of Syrians return, left no ambiguity about the government's position. „What the Chancellor says is, of course, the goal of the Federal Government” — Johann Wadephul via N-tv Wadephul also stressed that the government is determined to deport those who have, in his words, forfeited their right of hospitality in Germany, describing this as the core message of Monday's meeting with al-Sharaa. He added that work is ongoing to make Syria a country where people can live safely and with economic prospects, which he said should naturally encourage Syrians to return and participate in rebuilding their country. The Foreign Minister's Tuesday statement marked a notable shift from a position he had taken in November 2025, when, after a visit to Syria, he described large-scale returns as difficult to expect given the extent of destruction in the country. That earlier comment had prompted debate within the Union bloc at the time.

Merz clarifies: the 80% figure came from al-Sharaa Facing criticism over his initial statement, Merz on Tuesday explicitly clarified that the 80 percent figure originated with the Syrian transitional president, not with Berlin. „We have taken note of this figure, but are aware of the dimension of the task” — Friedrich Merz via stern.de German government circles stated on Tuesday that it is "fundamentally good news" that Syrians who fled the civil war are returning and beginning to rebuild their country, describing Monday's meeting as "an important signal." Officials also drew a distinction between two separate tracks: the swift and continuous deportation of Syrian criminals, and the broader question of reconstruction and voluntary return. The joint action plan commits both sides to strengthening "reliable and effective repatriation procedures" for Syrian nationals without a right of residence in Germany, alongside promoting "voluntary and gradual return." The Syrian government, for its part, used Monday's meeting to campaign for investment in the country's reconstruction.

Action plan sets framework, stops short of binding targets The joint action plan agreed upon by Germany and Syria during al-Sharaa's Berlin visit establishes a framework for future cooperation but deliberately avoids setting binding numerical return targets. Syria's civil war, which began in 2011, drove one of the largest displacement crises in modern history. Bashar al-Assad's government was ousted in December 2024, and Ahmed al-Sharaa — previously known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani — has led Syria's transitional government since early 2025. Germany became one of the primary destinations for Syrian refugees during the peak years of the displacement wave, and the question of returns has remained a politically sensitive issue in German domestic politics. The document focuses on two pillars: reinforcing procedures for removing Syrians who have no legal right to remain in Germany, and encouraging those who wish to return voluntarily to do so in a gradual manner. No timeline or enforcement mechanism for the 80 percent figure appears in the published text, and German government circles were careful on Tuesday to frame the goal as aspirational rather than binding. The transitional government in Damascus has a clear interest in attracting both returnees and foreign investment to support reconstruction, giving al-Sharaa a political incentive to project optimism about the pace of returns. The gap between the ambition expressed at Monday's press conference and the more cautious language of the published action plan reflects the complexity of managing expectations on both sides.