Ryyan Alshebl, a Syrian refugee who fled the war-torn country in 2015, has achieved a remarkable journey by becoming the mayor of a German village. At the age of 21, Alshebl embarked on a perilous journey, including a four-hour trip on a rubber boat to the Greek island of Lesbos. He then traveled through Macedonia, Serbia, and Croatia, finally reaching Germany after 12 days of public transport and walking.
“It was dark and cold and there was not a single light to be seen on Lesbos,” he recalled.
Alshebl settled in a refugee center in Althengstett, a rural region near the Black Forest. Determined to rebuild his life, he quickly learned to speak German fluently and secured a traineeship as an administrative assistant at the Althengstett town hall. In 2022, he acquired German citizenship, a prerequisite for standing in local elections. Now 29 years old, Alshebl is set to take office as the mayor of Ostelsheim, a village near Althengstett, in June.
His election as mayor is a groundbreaking achievement, as he is believed to be the first Syrian refugee from the 2015-2016 wave to be elected to a political position in Germany. Alshebl ran as an independent candidate and won with 55.41% of the vote. Notably, he is also a member of the Greens, driven by his strong commitment to climate protection.
Alshebl’s victory is particularly significant considering that Ostelsheim, a traditionally conservative community, has a population of 2,700 people. Despite the rise of right-wing extremism during the influx of asylum seekers in 2015-2016, Alshebl expressed that he has not personally encountered such sentiments.
His success can be attributed to his attentive approach, addressing the concerns of the people, ranging from childcare to digitalization issues. Alshebl’s story transcends the boundaries of a mayoral election, symbolizing a testament to open-mindedness and the recognition of qualifications rather than origin.
While Alshebl harbors mixed feelings about his home country of Syria and longs for the people he grew up with, he is grateful for the opportunity to live in Germany and rebuild his life, acknowledging that not everyone has been as fortunate.
