German foreign minister triggers uproar with new Syria comment

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has triggered fresh uproar within his own conservative bloc with a new remark about the situation in Syria.

During a meeting of the parliamentary group of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), on Tuesday afternoon, Wadephul reportedly said that Syria looks worse than Germany in 1945.

Several participants confirmed the remark to dpa. The Foreign Office did not comment when asked.

According to participants, several lawmakers expressed irritation over the remark.

One lawmaker described Wadephul’s appearance before the parliamentary group as “terrible” and “disastrous,” adding that support for the foreign minister was fading.

Tensions after remarks in Syria

Wadephul had already caused irritation within his own ranks last week with a remark made during his visit to war-torn Syria.

While visiting a devastated suburb of Damascus, he questioned whether Syrian refugees currently living in Germany would return voluntarily in the near future, given the massive destruction.

“It is barely possible for people to live here with dignity,” the minister said while visiting the neighbourhood of Harasta.

“In the near future, [Syrian refugees] can not return,” he said.

Some members of the parliamentary group understood the remark as distancing himself from the CDU’s position that Syrian criminal offenders should be deported as quickly as possible and that voluntary returns of Syrian refugees to their homeland should be encouraged.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz later clarified the party’s line on Monday: “The civil war in Syria is over. There are no longer any grounds for asylum in Germany and therefore we can begin repatriations.”

Within the parliamentary group, frustration continued to grow over how long it took Wadephul to clarify his remarks, as he only did so shortly before the parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday.

The Foreign Office and he himself actively and constructively support the goal of returning criminal offenders and dangerous individuals to Syria and Afghanistan, he said.

“There is absolutely no difference on this,” Wadephul said.

He added that work was progressing at full speed to enable more Syrians to return voluntarily and help rebuild their country. That is exactly what Merz said, Wadephul stressed.

In the meeting, Wadephul repeated his position, but received only limited applause, participants said. His comparison to 1945 was reportedly made at the very end of his remarks. No other lawmakers responded to the comment.