Overview
- Merz, who hosted transitional president Ahmed al‑Scharaa in Berlin on Monday, announced a joint Germany–Syria taskforce and a government delegation to Syria departing within days.
- Germany pledged more than €200 million this year for reconstruction, with officials citing priorities such as hospitals, teacher training and water systems, alongside outreach to German firms at a Berlin economic forum.
- Merz set an objective for roughly 80% of the about 900,000 Syrians in Germany to return within three years, said protection claims will be re‑assessed, and named people with criminal convictions or no valid status as the first group targeted for removal.
- The visit drew protests and heavy police cordons in central Berlin as human‑rights groups, Kurdish and opposition voices warned that reports of attacks on Christians in Suqaylabiyah and alleged mass killings of Druze and Alawites undermine claims that Syria is safe.
- Al‑Scharaa, a former Al‑Nusra/HTS leader whose forces ousted Bashar al‑Assad in December 2024, promised to protect minorities and build a rule‑of‑law state, while German politics split over engagement as supporters tout returns and investment and critics caution against normalisation.