BERLIN

The German parliament on Friday approved a controversial law suspending family reunification for refugees with subsidiary protection status for two years.

The measure, which affects approximately 380,000 people primarily from Syria, passed with 444 votes in favor and 135 against.

Conservative Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt's bill received support from Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), as part of a compromise reached during coalition negotiations. The legislation fulfills one of Merz's key election promises to implement stricter immigration policies.

During parliamentary debate, Interior Minister Dobrindt defended the measure, saying it aims to reduce excessive burden on the state and society. He said that German social, educational, and housing systems have capacity limits, and estimated the suspension would reduce immigration by approximately 12,000 people per year.

The decision comes amid ongoing debates about immigration policy in Germany and has drawn widespread criticism from human rights groups. In the EU's largest economy, approximately 380,000 people live with subsidiary protection status, including more than 295,000 from Syria, according to official figures released at the end of 2024.