The voluntary return program for Syrian refugees in Dresden has seen an abysmal uptake, raising questions about the effectiveness of such schemes. Despite offering financial incentives — €1,000 per adult and €4,000 per family — only four out of 7,433 Syrians in the city have applied since the program’s launch at the start of the year.
Dresden’s authorities had promoted the initiative as a way for Syrians to return home following the end of the civil war. “Syrians who want to return to Syria permanently after the fall of the dictator Assad can receive financial and organizational support,” the city government stated.
However, the 0.5 percent participation rate suggests that few are willing to take up the offer.
“A total of four applications from Syrians have been submitted and processed,” city spokesperson Alexander Buchmann told Bild, confirming that not a single individual has yet been confirmed to have departed under the scheme. Officials did not disclose how many Syrians may have left Germany without claiming financial assistance.
City officials in Dresden have expressed concerns over the financial burden of catering to the current number of asylum seekers, recently announcing the closure of the city’s largest shared accommodation from March citing the costs of subsistence.
Buchmann explained the cost to the state just to provide three meals a day totals nearly €8,000 per day, in addition to the benefits, accommodation, and extra security costs.
Germany’s struggles with integrating Syrian refugees have long been a subject of debate. As of August 2024, half of all Syrians in Germany — 518,050 out of approximately 1 million — remain dependent on state benefits (Bürgergeld), according to the Federal Employment Agency.
Several European nations have now adopted schemes to encourage or enforce repatriation of Syrians following the fall of the Assad regime.
Denmark offers the most generous financial incentives, providing up to €26,818 per adult and €6,700 per child under its repatriation law. It is unclear how many Syrians have taken up the offer.
Austria recently initiated a review process for Syrian asylum claims, questioning whether those granted protection still need it. Authorities are demanding proof of integration, such as employment and schooling, before renewing residency permits. Its policy is expected to become more restrictive should coalition talks between the right-wing FPÖ and center-right ÖVP succeed.
The Netherlands has also seen renewed calls for deportations, with Geert Wilders, leader of the ruling PVV party, advocating for mass returns of Syrian refugees.
On Saturday, Wilders wrote on X: “Time for an asylum stop and returning Syrians. The Netherlands will be completely destroyed here.”
He was commenting on the fatal stabbing of an 11-year-old girl by a migrant who was initially reported to have been Syrian; however, police later confirmed the man was a Moroccan national with dual Dutch citizenship.