The fall of Bashar al-Assad has brought with it uncertainty for Syrian asylum seekers across Europe, as several countries freeze applications from Syrians, arguing that those who fled his regime no longer have reason to fear returning to their homeland.
Since Sunday, 8 December, several European countries have suspended the processing of asylum claims from Syrians – the largest group of asylum seekers in Europe.
Sweden, Norway, Italy, Denmark and Germany – which has taken in more than 712,000 Syrian refugees and asylum seekers since the war began in 2011 – are among those that have paused applications.
For Syrians already in these countries, applications will not be processed until Syria’s new leadership and security conditions become clearer.
Austria, the United Kingdom, Greece and Belgium have also suspended the process, arguing that since the majority of Syrian asylum seekers were fleeing Assad's regime, there is no longer justification for not returning to Syria.
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France cautious
France, however, is taking a more measured approach.
While the Interior Ministry says it is working on suspending Syrian asylum applications, the decision ultimately lies with Ofpra, an asylum seekers' protection agency which is under the financial and administrative supervision of the ministry but operates independently of the government.
The organisation is currently reviewing 700 cases, with 45,000 Syrians having sought refuge in France since 2011.
For many long-term Syrian residents in Europe, return seems impossible, despite the changing situation in Syria.
"For me personally, I believe it's too late. I have a good business, I am engaged to a French woman and I have already applied for naturalisation. At my age, I know France better than Syria," Iyad Alzorkan, who arrived in France in 2010, told RFI.
Spainhas chosen to maintain its existing asylum policy, confirming that it will continue processing Syrian applications.
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Political divisions
Europe's far-right political parties are pushing for more aggressive measures. Germany’s AfD party argues that Syrians in Germany celebrating Assad’s fall have no reason to stay and should return to Syria. The CDU, Germany’s conservative party, has proposed offering €1,000 to those willing to go back.
In Denmark, far-right leader Morten Messerschmidt said he hoped Syrians living in the country would soon return home, which he said "will improve rape statistics in Denmark".
Meanwhile, the government in Vienna announced plans to review the cases of 40,000 Syrians granted asylum in the last five years, aiming to prepare for potential deportations.
For many refugees, this is an alarming prospect.
"Many Syrians are well integrated here, they work here. I myself have two daughters who were born in Austria, they can't even read Arabic,” said Abdulhkeem Alshater, a 43-year-old who fled Homs and was granted asylum in Austria in 2015.
“And this announcement comes too early, Syria is not yet safe, not yet stable. I find it inhumane to announce this. People are desperate and angry today."
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Lukas Gahleitner-Gertz of the NGO Asylkoordination criticised the Austrian government’s decision as politically motivated, rather than practical.
“If the situation in Syria becomes stable, there could be processes to revoke refugee status. But right now, this is premature and misleading,” he said.
EU response
The European Commission is urging member states to coordinate their approaches.
While asylum policies remain under national jurisdiction, the European Union is working with the United Nations' refugee agency to organise voluntary returns.
“Most Syrians in the diaspora dream of returning home, but the decision must be an individual one,” said Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni.
Interior ministers from across the EU are set to meet in Brussels this week, with further discussions scheduled for 16 December among foreign ministers.
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This story was adpated from RFI's original version in French
