Story perspectives

Merz Offers €200 M Repatriation; Syria Stops Passports

5/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Chancellor Friedrich Merz met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Shaaraa in Berlin and pledged €200 million for repatriation.
No deportations of about 11,000 Syrian nationals have occurred since January because Syrian authorities stopped issuing replacement passports.
The Federal Ministry of Finance reported €24.8 billion spent on Syrian migrants in 2025, with states adding undisclosed costs.
Federal Interior Ministry data show Syrian suspects committed 135,668 crimes from 2015 to 2024, one incident every 39 minutes.

History

Historical Context

Post-World II border changes and expulsions shrank the German Sprachraum, leading Germany to engage in EU minority and fiscal cooperation. The 1998 European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages codified cross-border duties, while in Belgium German speakers make up 0.7 % of the population. This framework now informs debates on shared repatriation costs for migrants.

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Story summary

Chancellor Friedrich Merz met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Shaaraa in Berlin and pledged €200 million for repatriation.
No deportations of about 11,000 Syrian nationals have occurred since January because Syrian authorities stopped issuing replacement passports.
The Federal Ministry of Finance reported €24.8 billion spent on Syrian migrants in 2025, with states adding undisclosed costs.
Federal Interior Ministry data show Syrian suspects committed 135,668 crimes from 2015 to 2024, one incident every 39 minutes.

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