In 2025, nearly 6,000 Syrian refugees in Germany applied for voluntary return to their homeland. And the situation in Syria is appalling - even the most basic necessities are lacking. Is it right to encourage them to leave?
In 2025, a total of 5,976 Syrians applied to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, in which they wished to voluntarily return to their homeland - which entitles them to some financial support from the German government. Of these, 3,678 people have already left for Syria. According to German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrin, this is evidence of the success of his reversal of migration policy: “Those who have no prospect of remaining in Germany receive targeted support for voluntary departure“.
Germany covers the cost of the plane ticket, as well as some start-up assistance for returnees - 1,000 euros per adult and 500 euros for children and young people. The number of people who decide to return to their homeland is generally growing.
Those who return voluntarily are increasing
The Federal Office for Migration says that so far 16,576 people have been supported to return to their homeland or to another country that was willing to accept them. These figures show that the number of returnees is growing - in 2025, there were 10,358 people - the largest number of whom were people who returned to countries such as Turkey, Syria, Russia, Georgia and Iraq.
Can voluntary return to Syria then be considered a success or is it rather an irrelevant discussion? The situation in Syria still bears the features of a civil war, as the chairwoman of the Left Party, Ines Schwertner, emphasizes. That is why Germany should not deport anyone to that country or encourage people to return voluntarily. Schwertner describes the debates as "absolutely irrelevant at the moment."
The humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire
Sandra Lorenz from the humanitarian organization "Johanniter," which provides aid through partners in northwest Syria, told DW that she understands people's desire to return to their homeland: "We see this in Ukraine too - despite the attacks, people want to return to their hometowns. That's completely normal. But it should be clear what the situation is on the ground. In many places, the infrastructure is completely destroyed. And the people who live there are constantly having to flee because of the ongoing fighting," she said.
The situation in cities that have been largely destroyed, such as Aleppo and Afrin, is different than in the capital, Damascus, Lorenz explained. But the humanitarian situation as a whole is very difficult, the need to rebuild buildings and infrastructure remains very high - not least because of the severe earthquake three years ago. That is why the German aid organization is helping to rehabilitate the infrastructure and supply hospitals with gasoline, drinking water and medication.
„There are hundreds of thousands of people who need help with their food, as well as access to water, a normal home and income. The situation in Syria is like in other areas where war is raging. I can only hope that people are aware of this and have found where and who to go to first.“
Germany is helping with the reconstruction
Lawyer Nala Osman, vice-chairwoman of the Union of German-Syrian Aid Organizations, was recently with a German delegation in Syria and told DW the following: “In Harasta, one of the suburbs of Damascus, there is not a single house that can accommodate people or that meets the minimum living standards. Over 80 percent of the schools in Syria have been destroyed. At the same time, there is a lack of everything, especially medicines and medical equipment. The health minister told us that some equipment is only available in one or two places throughout Syria“. Germany is providing assistance to hospitals in need – During the delegation's visit, contracts were signed with five clinics.
At the same time, Germany could also benefit from qualified Syrians in the future: the Syrian government has proposed introducing German language studies after the fifth grade. The aim is to ensure that qualified professionals - for example doctors - are trained in a timely manner, so that they can later come to work in Germany under easier conditions.
Nala Osman, however, does not support the thesis of the mass return of Syrians from Germany to their homeland. “Most Syrians are well integrated, speak German and work. Many dream of returning - but of course not under these conditions.“ According to her, the discussion in Germany is not differentiated enough, because one often hears: “All Syrians should return, take up shovels in their hands and rebuild their country. But that is not how a debate is conducted in a country with so many migrants as Germany“.