Assad's fall prompts European push to return Syrians, unsettling diaspora

Overview

After the fall of Bashar al-Assad, a wave of European policy shifts has put millions of Syrians who rebuilt lives abroad under fresh threat of return. Dozens of states moved to suspend asylum applications and reviews of existing cases; Austria suspended family reunification, prepared “orderly repatriation and deportation” plans and has already returned a Syrian with a criminal conviction, while Germany’s chancellor publicly signalled that asylum grounds no longer apply and that repatriations could follow. The announcements have generated fear and uncertainty among Syrians who integrated into host societies—learning languages, working, starting businesses and volunteering—leaving many questioning whether to invest in long-term settlement.

These changes are unfolding alongside complex realities on the ground: more than a million people have already returned to Syria in the past year and hundreds of thousands returned from Turkey, yet reconstruction costs are vast (the World Bank estimates over $200bn) and basic services remain fragile. Employers, unions and economists warn that mass departures would deepen labour shortages in countries such as Germany, while activists and refugee groups urge that returns remain voluntary given ongoing insecurity and shattered infrastructure. The situation has left Syrians abroad caught between political pressure to return and the practical, humanitarian and economic challenges of going home. as reported by The Guardian

This story has also been reported by: France 24