German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s claim that Syria supports large-scale returns of its nationals has been contradicted by the country’s interim president.
The German chancellor stated in Berlin, alongside Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, that around 80% of the Syrians currently living in Germany should return to Syria within three years. It was the central figure in the CDU’s new narrative: migration toughness, Syrian reconstruction ,and the recovery of political control after a decade of crisis.
But now the Syrian leader denies ever having said anything of the sort.
During an appearance at Chatham House in London, al-Sharaa said: “I did not say that. It was the chancellor.”
The contradiction places Merz under pressure, after he cited Syria’s leadership to justify the proposal. Responding to criticism in Germany, the chancellor said he had not set a target himself but was relaying the Syrian president’s position. That account has now been directly contradicted.
At the joint press conference in Berlin, Merz answered a question about how many Syrians should return to their country. He said around 80% within three years, adding that this reflected al-Sharaa’s wishes.
However, the Syrian leader never used that figure in public and now denies even having raised it in private.
The controversy comes as Merz’s CDU tries to compete with the AfD on immigration and distance itself from the legacy of former chancellor Angela Merkel. At the same time, legal, economic, and diplomatic constraints mean the policy cannot be implemented quickly—and in some cases run counter to the government’s own interests.
Even if Merz wanted to carry out the proposal, Germany has few means to do so.
Today, nearly one million Syrians live in Germany. To reach the figure mentioned by the chancellor, around 800,000 people would have to leave the country before 2029. That would mean a massive review of protection permits, the opening of thousands of court cases, and years of litigation over whether Syria can genuinely be considered a safe country.
Al-Sharaa said that Syria wants refugees to return, but voluntarily and in connection with the country’s reconstruction. He spoke neither of compulsory deadlines nor of fixed percentages. He even admitted that such a high figure would only be possible if there were foreign investment, jobs, and security conditions.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel strongly criticized Merz. “Not a single Syrian will be deported while the CDU remains in power,” she said.
Merz aimed to show he could take control of the migration debate, but instead has triggered a dispute with the Syrian leader he cited.
