The Syrian president's visit has sparked controversy in Germany — DW
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has begun his first official visit to Germany, marking a significant milestone in diplomatic relations following the change of government in Damascus.
DW reports.
On Monday, March 30, the Syrian leader was received by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bellevue Palace.
This trip marks al-Sharaa’s first visit to Berlin since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.
Key topics of discussion included political stabilization in the Middle East, attracting German investment to rebuild the Syrian economy, and mechanisms for the voluntary return of refugees.
The visit’s agenda includes a meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and participation in a roundtable with representatives of major German businesses.
The Syrian side aims to attract investors with projects in the country’s energy, transportation, and tourism sectors as it seeks to recover from years of civil war.
However, al-Sharaa’s visit has sparked outrage among German politicians and human rights activists.
Critics point to the Syrian president’s Islamist past (he was formerly known as Abu Muhammad al-Julani) and accuse him of involvement in war crimes.
Kansu Özdemir, a member of the Left Party, called the chancellor’s meeting with al-Sharaa “moral bankruptcy” on the part of the German government.
She emphasized that such contacts normalize figures whose groups have in the past resorted to violence against religious and ethnic minorities in Syria.
Germany’s Kurdish community also issued a sharp statement demanding that the Syrian leader be brought to justice.
Community leader Ali Ertan Toprak stressed that al-Sharaa should be in the dock, not in Berlin’s official offices.
Several mass demonstrations have been registered in the center of the German capital, particularly near the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Potsdamer Platz.
Police expect the total number of demonstrators—both supporters and opponents of the new Syrian regime—to reach 5,000 people.
As a reminder, Ash-Sharaa arrived in Germany for talks on the reconstruction of Syria.
Syria’s reconstruction is also at risk, depending on who controls the country.
