Berlin hosts controversial visit by Syria's interim president amid return push

Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa — a former commander of the al‑Nusra Front who has been accused of serious human rights violations and past ties to al‑Qaeda — was received in central Berlin by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier. The visit, which included a heavily secured reception near the chancellery and reports of a five‑star hotel stay and cheering supporters, prompted public and media criticism and renewed debate over Germany's approach to the post‑Assad era.

Chancellor Merz used the encounter to announce a joint German‑Syrian task force and said he wants 80% of Syrians in Germany to return within three years, with a German delegation set to travel to Syria soon. The move exposes divisions within the government — Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt backing repatriation while Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warns conditions remain dire — and has drawn caution from NGOs, which oppose deportations but urge German involvement in reconstruction and protection for minorities. About 1 million Syrians live in Germany, roughly 700,000 as asylum seekers; those who return risk losing protected status in Germany, a factor complicating any repatriation push, as reported by Deutsche Welle