A report by The National focuses on Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Germany, examining why most remain despite Syria being freed from Assad-era rule.
Titled “The Syrian generation in Germany is not ready to pack up and go home,” the report notes that fewer than 2,000 Syrians—out of roughly one million—have taken up Berlin’s initial offer to return voluntarily, even with financial incentives.
Germany introduced cash assistance after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, a decade after the dramatic scenes of 2015, when hundreds of thousands crossed Europe with little more than the clothes they wore. Many slept in train stations, clashed with border fences, and ultimately persuaded Germans to open their doors.
Syrian-Germans quoted in the report say much has changed: a new government in Berlin calls for border closures and deportations, while a new leadership in Damascus promotes reconstruction—raising questions about whether Syrians still need asylum in Europe.