Germany's one million Syrians at centre of fierce political debate over future

Some politicians question the future of Syrian refugees, with migration the big issue in February elections.

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There are around a million people with a Syrian passport in Germany. Most of them came from 2015-16, after Angela Merkel's government made a decision not to close Germany's borders to refugees fleeing Syria's civil war.

The mood at the time was that Germany would manage. The climate now is rather different.

Within hours of the news of Assad's fall, a fierce political debate erupted in Germany over whether Syrian refugees should go back to Syria.

Snap elections are being held in Germany on 23 February. With migration topping surveys of voters' concerns, some politicians clearly feel talking tough on Syrian refugees will win them votes.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7kxn6p878o

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