CDU in a fix: The explosive dispute over Syrian deportations!

CDU in a fix: The explosive dispute over Syrian deportations!

At the heart of political events in Germany there is currently a violent dispute over the direction within the CDU, which is particularly explosive in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The reason for the dispute is the debate about the deportation of rejected asylum seekers. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul makes it clear that Syrians in Germany deserve protection; after all, a return to their home country is unreasonable under the current conditions. “Let people live with dignity,” says Wadephul, should be the maxim. The SVZ reports that Chancellor Friedrich Merz positions himself in stark contrast to this. He believes that many Syrians would voluntarily return to their homeland because, in his opinion, there are no longer valid reasons for requesting protection in Germany.

Merz's statements are not only raising eyebrows in domestic politics. Steffi Pulz-Debler from the Left counters sharply: Her assessments are fixed and calls Merz's statements “wrong and dangerous” because Syria is still not a safe country. The AfD is also getting involved: Jan-Phillip Tadsen is calling for comprehensive return preparation for Syrian citizens and sees this as a means of relieving the burden on the security authorities and the country's finances.

Deportations and asylum in numbers

As far as the facts are concerned, a lot has happened in recent years. Loud bpb.de, people whose asylum applications were rejected had to leave Germany within a set period of time. Anyone who does not comply with this will face possible deportation by the immigration authorities. In 2024, a total of 20,084 people were deported in Germany. For comparison: In 2023 the number was 16,430, while in 2021 it was 11,982. The main countries of origin of the deportees in 2023 were Georgia, Turkey, Afghanistan and North Macedonia. Syrian and Iraqi nationals were also among those deported.

However, the asylum debate is not just a question of numbers. The emotional and humanitarian dimensions play a significant role. Deportations often contradict basic human rights - a point that the left in particular emphasizes in their arguments. What remains is the question: How can a balance be found between security and humanity?

The development of return numbers

Overall, the number of people who had to return to other EU countries in 2024 rose to 5,827. Most of these repatriations went to Austria, France and Spain. The number of minors among those deported is also interesting: in 2024 there were 3,687, a sharp increase compared to previous years.

The development of asylum policy is being intensively discussed not only in the political sphere, but also in society. The debate is not just about numbers and statistics, but also about the fates and hopes of many people who seek protection in a foreign country.