What future for Syrian refugees in Europe and Switzerland?

Published on December 20, 2024 at 07:45. / Modified on December 20, 2024 at 07:47.

3 mins. reading

Barely had Bashar al-Assad’s regime been overthrown when declarations on the fate of Syrian asylum seekers and refugees in Europe multiplied. Leaders of populist radical right parties (some of whom had publicly supported the “butcher of Damascus”) demanded their immediate dismissal while raising the specter of a “migrant surge”. At the same time, several European governments, including Switzerland, have suspended decisions on asylum applications filed by Syrians, causing concern among refugee defense organizations.

This decision is legitimate in substance, but the haste of its communication is challenging. Furthermore, these suspensions must not last forever, at the risk of plunging the people concerned into untenable legal uncertainty. In the longer term, the question of the fate of the hundreds of thousands of people who fled the civil war to take refuge in Europe will arise: nearly a million in Germany, 200,000 in Sweden and around 25,000 in Switzerland. Will they return to Syria? Will they be forced to do so?

Le Temps publishes columns, written by members of the editorial staff or external people, as well as opinions and columns, proposed to personalities or requested by them. These texts reflect the point of view of their authors. They in no way represent the position of the media.

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