German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that around 80% of Syrians who fled the country because of the civil war and found refuge in Germany could return home over the next three years—as the conflict winds down and reconstruction begins, that is becoming an increasingly realistic scenario.
Speaking in Berlin alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Merz stressed that a significant share of Syrians who have successfully integrated into the German labour market will remain in Germany. At the same time, he said, many will have to return because they are “needed at home” to help rebuild the country—a task both sides support.
“The civil war is over—and there is now a fundamental possibility of returning to Syria—and we want to make that possible together,” Merz told reporters, adding that the estimate of potential returnees reflected the Syrian leader’s “wish”.
Syrians fleeing war became the largest group among the more than one million migrants who arrived in Germany from 2015 onward, posing one of the central challenges for then-Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to German statistics, about 713,000 Syrian asylum seekers were living in the country as of November last year—22% of the roughly 3.3 million people holding that status.
Al-Sharaa himself, without giving a specific estimate of how many might return, said that Syrians living in Germany “are a valuable resource for both states” and serve as a bridge for deepening relations between Berlin and Damascus.