May 09, 2025
Panel discussion "Syria in transition - challenges and prospects"
On May 5, 2025, the panel discussion "Syria in Transition - Challenges and Perspectives" took place in the Potthoff Building at TU Dresden. The event was hosted by the Chair of Political Sciences with a focus on International Politics together with the Center for International Studies (ZIS), funded by the "TUD in Dialogue" funding line.
The evening was opened by Stefanie Gerstenberger (Chair of Political Sciences with a focus on International Politics), who warmly welcomed the guests and pointed out that Syria is often only treated marginally and superficially in media coverage. The aim of the event was therefore to create space for an in-depth discussion of developments in the country - particularly with regard to the role of Germany and the international community. She recalled that Syria had been at the center of international politics for more than a decade - marked by civil war, refugee movements and geopolitical tensions. In the meantime, the country has increasingly disappeared from the public focus, although recent events - above all the fall of the Assad regime and the takeover of power by HTS in December 2024 - represent a historic turning point.
Before the discussion began, a compilation of film clips was shown, summarizing the key developments since the end of the Assad regime. The film input ended with a song about hope performed by Syrian children.
Stefanie Gerstenberger then introduced the panel guests: Dr. Bente Scheller, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Heinrich Böll Foundation and long-time Syria expert, reported on impressions of confidence conveyed to her by her contacts on the ground. Dr. Andreas Reinicke, Director of the German Orient Institute and former German ambassador to Syria, among other places, confirmed these impressions and spoke of a palpable sense of relief at the end of the Assad regime. Dr. Bassem Arar, a member of the Syrian diaspora in Germany, added his personal insights and experiences.
The discussion initially revolved around the cautious reporting of many German media outlets. The experts pointed out that there was often a lack of background knowledge - with the result that positive developments in Syria were not adequately addressed.
Another focus was the stability of the new transitional government. The experts agreed that it faces enormous challenges in terms of both domestic and foreign policy. In this context, Dr Reinicke spoke of destabilization attempts by former regime loyalists and emphasized the difficult situation of the government led by HTS.
When asked about possible support measures from the international community, restraint was emphasized as a key attitude. Dr. Arar referred to the potentially destabilizing effect of foreign interventions - especially by Israel. At the same time, economic support is an important contribution to stabilization. In this context, Dr. Scheller emphasized the importance of a gradual dismantling of sanctions by Western states. Dr. Reinicke added that Germany also had a great interest in a stable and economically prosperous Syria - for geopolitical, energy policy and agricultural reasons.
In addition to the interests of other stakeholders such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the panel discussed concrete measures. There was consensus that more public attention and joint projects - particularly in the field of education - were necessary. Dr. Scheller also criticized the current migration discourse, which is characterized by xenophobic stereotypes and reduces migrants to their economic benefits.
Finally, the discussion was opened up to questions from the audience. Voices from the German-Syrian community and students in particular contributed to the discussion with their diverse perspectives.
The team of the Chair of Political Sciences with a focus on International Politics would like to thank all guests and participants for the enriching and productive exchange. Afterwards, there was an opportunity for personal exchange and networking in a relaxed atmosphere.