The sentence that has sparked debate across Germany was uttered almost casually as Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his guest, Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, addressed journalists after their meeting in  in Berlin on Monday . Responding to a question about Syrian refugees, Merz said that "over the longer term of the next three years — that was the wish of al-Sharaa — 80% of the Syrians currently in Germany should return to their homeland." This left the journalists scratching their