Ahmed al Shara

Ahmed al Shara is the transitional president of Syria. He is newsworthy because he recently met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the potential return of Syrian refugees currently residing in Germany. Chancellor Merz expressed his desire for 80% of the over 900,000 Syrian citizens in Germany to return to Syria within the next three years, particularly after the (hypothetical) fall of Bachar el Asad and the end of the civil war. Merz aims to prioritize the return of those without valid residency permits and Syrians with criminal records. Al Shara's role as transitional president makes him a key figure in these discussions, as any repatriation efforts would require cooperation and agreement from the Syrian side.