Will France Freeze Syrian Asylum Requests Like Other Countries?

After President Bashar al-Assad was ousted, the issue of Syrian refugee resettlement resurfaced. France is poised to make a decision on potentially freezing asylum requests, a move that could spark controversy.

The Fate of Syrian Refugees Hangs in the Balance

The fall of President Bashar al-Assad has reignited debates over the fate of Syrian refugees in Europe. With a potential increase in asylum requests, several countries have expressed intentions to halt them, with France soon deciding on the matter.

A Divided Europe

Less than two days after Assad’s overthrow, numerous European nations announced their plans to freeze Syrian asylum requests. Germany, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the UK, Switzerland, and the Netherlands argue that Syria’s current volatile situation warrants such measures.

In France, the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra) is closely monitoring developments in Syria, not ruling out the possibility of temporarily suspending certain asylum requests from Syrians based on the reasons cited.

A Poorly Received Signal

This approach has met with significant backlash. Amnesty International criticized Berlin’s “completely misguided signal,” affecting an estimated 50,000 people. “The cost [of reevaluating the situation in Damascus] should not be borne by those who have been trying to rebuild their lives for years,” the organization stated.

Deportation and Repatriation in Austria

The Austrian government has announced a “repatriation and deportation program to Syria.” Interior Minister Gerhard Karner cited the profound political change in Syria as justification for this move, affecting approximately 7,300 pending cases.