Europe reassesses Syrian refugee policies amid return pressures

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Nearly two years after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, European countries are reassessing protection statuses for Syrian refugees, shifting from suspending asylum decisions toward reviewing protections and discussing returns. Norway Tightens Rules for Syrian Asylum Norway has taken one of the toughest positions among Scandinavian countries on Syrian asylum seekers. In February 2026, its Ministry of Justice and Public Security issued new guidelines directing the Directorate of Immigration to assess Syrian applicants under Section 38 of the Immigration Act, which covers residence on strong…