Germany’s plan to deport Syrian refugees echoes 1980s effort to repatriate Turkish guest workers

Refugees from Syria walk with their luggage to the refugee shelter in Hamburg. Marcus Brandt/picture alliance via Getty Images

For 14 years while Syria’s brutal civil war raged, Germany provided a safe haven for those fleeing the violence. Now, a year after that conflict ended with the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, many in Germany – including the country’s leader – want those same Syrians gone.

In November, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a controversial plan to deport Syrian refugees “in the near future.” He also urged the 1 million Syrians in Germany, most of whom are Muslim, to voluntarily return.