German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that 80% of the more than 900,000 Syrian nationals in Germany should return to their home country in the next three years.
At a press conference with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Berlin on Monday, Merz said the leaders agreed that over the "longer term of the next three years," around "80% of the Syrians currently in Germany should return to their homeland."
"That was also the wish of President Sharaa," Merz said, adding that "those Syrians who wish to remain in Germany and are well integrated will be able to stay in Germany."
Germany was one of the main destinations for Syrian refugees fleeing the devastating civil war, with around 1 million arriving in the country during dictator Bashar al-Assad's time in power.
Calls for Syrian nationals to leave Germany have risen in conservative and far-right circles following al-Assad's ousting in late 2024 by an Islamist coalition led by al-Sharaa.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Grasping the Commencement of Criminal Cases: An Extensive Outline - 2Doctors seek to understand why quitting antidepressants causes withdrawal for some
- 3Munich Security Conference chief defends inviting AfD lawmakers
- 419 Peculiar Films You Shouldn't Watch With Your Mum
- 5Violence 'never part' of break-in plan, court told
- An Extended period of Voyaging Carefully: the World with Reason
- Favored Vehicle for Seniors: Make Your Determination
- JFK's granddaughter Tatiana Schlossberg reveals terminal cancer diagnosis
- Figure out How to Back Your Rooftop Substitution
- Full SNAP benefits must be paid ‘promptly,’ USDA tells states as government reopens
- Distributed storage Answers for Information Reinforcement
- At 72, Kathie Lee Gifford says aging isn’t what she expected. 'The golden years? It’s a lie.’
- Wolf bites woman in a shopping area in Germany's 2nd-biggest city
- Bowen Yang is reportedly leaving 'Saturday Night Live' after this week's episode
