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AfD Leader Calls for an End to Afghan Refugee Intake and the Return of Syrians
The leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has called for a major shift in Germany’s asylum policy, urging the country to stop accepting additional Afghan refugees and begin procedures to return Syrian refugees to Syria.
In remarks that have sparked widespread controversy, the right-wing party leader criticized German authorities for granting citizenship to Syrian refugees, noting that around 1.3 million Syrians currently live in Germany. She questioned why authorities continue to grant German citizenship to Syrians at this time.
The party leader linked the justifications presented when refugees were initially admitted to the current situation, saying that the official position at the height of the refugee crisis was based on the idea that their stay would be temporary and that returning home would become possible once the reasons that had forced them to flee had disappeared.
“From our point of view, this means returning Syrians to Syria when there are no longer reasons for them to remain in Germany,” she said, arguing that the German government’s commitment to this principle would be a test of its credibility with voters.
The remarks come as Germany faces intense debate over immigration and asylum policies, alongside growing pressure on the coalition government to reduce the number of asylum seekers and speed up deportations of rejected applicants. The AfD, which advocates a hard-line approach toward migrants, has also seen a notable rise in popularity.
