Cansu Özdemir, the foreign policy spokesperson for the Left Party’s parliamentary group, criticized the meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, asserting that it legitimizes a regime built on extremist networks. Özdemir argued that the German government’s engagement aims to facilitate large-scale deportations of Syrian refugees. Al-Scharaa, previously a leader of the Islamist militia Hajat Tahrir al-Scham, has faced accusations of perpetuating ideologies of oppression and violence, despite claims of respecting minority rights. The situation in Syria remains volatile, with ongoing violence involving Islamist factions.