Advertisement

Germany to offer Syrian Christians asylum

Author thumbnail
Germany to offer Syrian Christians asylum
Photo: DPA

German politicians have said they are preparing to allow Christian Syrian refugees to seek asylum in Germany, ahead of a worldwide day of prayer for oppressed Christians.

Advertisement

German politicians from Angela Merkel's governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister Christian Social Union (CSU) told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that they are willing to accept Christian Syrians fleeing the violence in their country, in comments due to be published on Sunday.

“It's an act of humanity. I think that we have to be prepared to do so at some point if the situation in Syria continues to escalate,” wrote Volker Kauder, parliamentary faction leader of the CDU/CSU, ahead of a worldwide day of prayer for oppressed Christians.

Kauder further pointed out that many refugees came to Germany from Iraq during the war, many of whom were Christians.

German Federal Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich of the CSU has supported the initiative. “The main focus is on Syrian Christians because they are experiencing the worst persecution,” he told the paper.

Head of the German Association of Expellees and the CDU's human rights spokeswoman Erika Steinbach told the paper that most Christians preferred to stay in their country of origin or at least wanted to return there.

“But when they have no prospects, those of us of Christian faith are called upon to take them in,” she said.

DAPD/The Local/jlb

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also