Germany naturalizes thousands of Syrians as asylum approvals fall
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Germany has granted citizenship to tens of thousands of Syrians even as approval rates for new Syrian asylum applications have sharply declined, according to figures cited in a parliamentary inquiry on Thursday.
Data referenced by left-wing lawmaker Clara Bünger shows that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is currently rejecting around 95 percent of asylum applications submitted by Syrians, with only about 5 percent receiving protection. Religious and ethnic minorities appear to be less affected by the high rejection rate.
In 2025, only 5.3 percent of Syrian applicants were granted protection status — whether as refugees, asylum beneficiaries, or under subsidiary protection or deportation bans — compared with nearly universal approval rates in 2024.
At the same time, naturalization figures have surged. In 2024 alone, 83,150 Syrians obtained German citizenship, bringing the total number of Syrians naturalized over the past decade to more than 245,000 — around 28 percent of all naturalizations in the country.
The debate comes amid political discussions over returns. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that up to 80 percent of Syrians currently living in Germany should leave within three years as part of a broader plan linked to Syria’s reconstruction.
Merz presented the outline during a meeting with Syria’s Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa in late March.
Under the proposal, Berlin would prioritize the return of Syrians without legal residency, starting with offenders, while allowing those who are settled and employed to remain.
A joint task force is expected to begin work on the plan, though no binding agreement has been signed.
The shift in asylum decisions and the scale of naturalizations have fueled debate in Germany over migration policy, integration, and the future status of Syrians in the country.