Family reunification from Syria: Bundestag decides on dramatic suspension!

Family reunification from Syria: Bundestag decides on dramatic suspension!

What a decision: On June 27, 2025, the Bundestag decided to suspend family reunification for refugees with subsidiary protection status for two years. This measure particularly affects many people who have fled the civil war in Syria, such as Family A., who initially had hope for a new life in Stuttgart. But the reality is bitter: mother Naima has been living separated from her children for over a year, who are currently staying with their grandmother in Turkey. She is desperately faced with the question of whether she should go back to Turkey or even Syria. Her insecurity is palpable, and not just for her, because other refugee families are now also at a disadvantage.

The decision to suspend family reunification stipulates that in future spouses, minor children and parents of unaccompanied minors may only be brought to Germany in cases of hardship. According to information from SWR particularly hard on families who have been waiting for a solution to their legal situation for years. Ali A., another affected person, was about to bring his family to Germany when the decision was made. His hope for a future together has suffered a bitter setback.

Legislative decision and its background

The bill was passed in the Bundestag with 444 votes, while 135 MPs voted against it. Also daily news reports that the CDU/CSU and the SPD approved the law, while the Greens and the Left faction vehemently opposed it. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) described the measure as necessary in order to control immigration to Germany and not to overstimulate the resilience of the social systems and the housing market. The suspension of family reunification is also intended to disrupt the business model of criminal gangs that may benefit from this issue.

People with subsidiary protection status, who usually come from crisis countries like Syria, previously had limited access to family reunification. This was eased in 2015, but since 2016 it has been suspended for a while. There are now over 381,000 people with subsidiary protection status living in Germany, including around 296,000 from Syria, many of whom have been here for years and hope for a life in safety and with their loved ones.

Criticism and current reactions

As expected, there were heated debates about the consequences of this decision. The organization Pro Asyl criticizes the suspension as a “family destruction law”. Churches and experts make it clear that intact family reunification promotes the integration of refugees, which in turn is beneficial for society. The SPD in particular emphasized that it was difficult for them to approve the draft law because families belong together.

But despite these concerns, community associations have supported the suspension. They argue that this is necessary to ensure the acceptance of immigration in society. This shows how divided opinions are in politics and society and how complex the situation is for everyone involved.

Khaled A., who is also separated from his family and works in a beer garden in Stuttgart, dreams of having his own restaurant despite the adverse circumstances. He sees hope for the future in his family, while uncertainty remains about his children's stay in Turkey. Many of these refugees are faced with the challenge of rearranging their lives in Germany by having to deal with the emotional and legal hurdles that current legislation brings with them.

A look into the future suggests that this deadlock will not be resolved so quickly, which represents an extremely difficult situation for many families.

It remains to be seen how this decision will affect the affected families and integration policy in Germany.

For further background and development of this topic, we refer to the articles by LTO and those already mentioned SWR.