Potential Topic 1: Syrian Refugees in Germany
When writing my news piece last week, I had the privilege of talking to a variety of sources about the experience of Syrian nationals residing in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). During all of these interviews, in light of the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, some of the questions Syrian migrants have to grapple with daily became abundantly clear: When does one choose to stay in assured safety, or when should one return to their homeland? What happens when supposedly assured safety is compromised by rising anti-migrant sentiment? How does trauma within one’s homeland play a role in this decision? These questions are complicated by reports of existing danger within Syria and attempts of the German government to deport Syrian nationals in Germany for the first time in twelve years. As of early August, about 1,300 Syrians had left Germany to return to Syria following the fall of the Assad government. This piece would dive into the personal and political factors that drive refugees to return home as opposed to staying in Germany. I would hope to speak with refugees themselves, refugee non-profit organizations in Germany and the U.S., and Middle East policy experts to create this piece.
Potential Topic 2: Parallel Rise of AfD and Trumpism’s Anti-Migrant Politics
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is a populist right-wing political party that rose to prominence throughout the late 2010s and became the second largest party in the Bundestag following the February 2025 elections. The party gained support due to their anti-migrant positions, including halting government spending on refugees, deporting refugees to their home countries, and removing constitutional access to asylum in Germany. The rise of AfD occurred simultaneously with President Trump’s election in the fall of 2016, campaigning on promises of building a physical wall on the U.S’s southern border to limit migrants, as well as various other anti-migrant positions. In addition to this simultaneous ascent to power, AfD and the Trump administration have a friendly relationship, with Vice-President Vance expressing support for AfD in January of 2025 and meeting with various AfD leaders since. This piece would examine the simultaneous rise of these two right-wing, populist movements with clear anti-migrant positions and what this may mean in signifying a global increase in hostility against migrants. To craft this article, I would hope to speak with supporters of both AfD and President Trump and experts on right-wing political movements.
Questions for AfD:
- Why do you think German citizens have increasingly resonated with your party’s platform over the past few years and which issues do you think most strongly mobilized supporters in the 2025 elections?
- To what extent has AfD been influenced by other international political movements for policy and messaging strategies? Which ones?
- Within the EU and the broader international community, what role does AfD believe Germany should have in refugee support and resettlement?
