(de-news.net) – Following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, CDU leader Friedrich Merz perceives Turkey as an increasingly pivotal negotiating partner. He asserted that Turkey’s bolstered position will enable it to assume a more substantial role in the Middle East and Near East regions. Merz advised that both Germany and Europe should intensify their collaboration with Turkey to achieve political stabilization in the region. He refrained from endorsing demands within his party to immediately deny protection status to newly arriving Syrian refugees, emphasizing the complexity of the situation and the need for careful consideration and influence over developments in the region.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of the CDU-CSU faction in the German Bundestag, Jens Spahn, has advocated for supporting Syrian refugees who wish to return to their homeland. He proposed that the German government offer incentives, such as chartered flights and a starting allowance of 1,000 Euros, to facilitate their return. Spahn also suggested that Germany collaborate with Austria, Turkey, and Jordan—countries that have taken in the most Syrian refugees—to organize a reconstruction and repatriation conference in spring. He emphasized the expectation that young men should assist in rebuilding their country once stability is restored. Spahn highlighted that subsidiary protection is meant to be temporary, contingent on the situation in the home country. If conditions in Syria normalize and stabilize, there is an expectation for refugees to return. However, he acknowledged that this assessment would take time.

FDP General Secretary Marco Buschmann has also called for providing Syrian refugees in Germany with the prospect of returning home. He proposed an international Syria conference, initiated by Germany, to enhance the chances of restoring peace and security in Syria after years of civil war. Buschmann emphasized that this initiative is both a humanitarian concern and a priority for an interest-driven German foreign policy.