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The evolution of Germany’s approach to Syrian refugees in the early 2020s

Gadzhimuradova G.I.,

MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, g.gadzhimuradova@my.mgimo.ru

ORCID: 0000-0003-3080-1813 | RESEARCHER_ID: AAH-4148-2020

Tkachev A.O.,

MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, a.o.tkachyov@yandex.ru

ORCID: 0009-0001-8183-9750 | RESEARCHER_ID: RSK-5983-2026

Article received: 2025.10.29 13:38. Accepted: 2026.02.27 13:38


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2026.03.05
EDN: OQWRRY

Rubric: Orbis terrarum

For citation:

Gadzhimuradova G.I., Tkachev A.O. The evolution of Germany’s approach to Syrian refugees in the early 2020s. – Polis. Political Studies. 2026. No. 3. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2026.03.05. EDN: OQWRRY (In Russ.)

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of the Federal Republic of Germany’s policy toward Syrian refugees in the early 2020s. The impetus for the analysis was the recent political changes in Syria, in particular, the removal of President Bashar al-Assad from power on December 8, 2024, which caused a strong public response among the Syrian diaspora outside Europe. The main objective of the study is to explain the transformation of Berlin’s position toward Syrian refugees through the lens of international relations theory. The paper traces the key stages of Germany’s migration policy from 2015 to the present, identifies the major factors influencing changes in its approach to Syrian migrants, and explores the impact of these dynamics on Germany’s domestic and foreign policy. The theoretical and methodological framework of the study is based on the concepts of neoliberalism, neorealism, and constructivism.

Keywords

Germany, Syrian refugees, migration policy, European Union, international relations, neoliberalism, neorealism, constructivism, political analysis.

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