A 29-year- the old man became the mayor of Village in Southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg of Germany after winning 55.41% of V votes.
Ryan Alshebl, 29 years old, who fled from Syria in 2015, stood like a non-party mayoral candidate of Ostelsheim in southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg.
In his private life, however, he is a member of Green Party.
He describes his experiences in elections campaign as “mostly positive”.
Aged of 21 years old, Alshebl fled from his hometown of Sweida in south of Syria. Now he was working in administration of nearby town hall Altengstätt for seven years. Like mayor, Alcheble now plans To move to Ostelsheim in area of Calv, he said.
Alshebl probably first Syrian mayor in southwest of Germany. According to the Association of Municipalities of Baden-Württemberg, there was no other candidate with Syrian roots for mayor office still.
Alshebl won the election against Then on-party candidates Marco Strauss and Matthias Fey.
Ryan Alsheble fled war-torn Syria in 2015 arrival on Greek island of Lesbos after an agonizing four-hour journey on rubber boat.
“It was dark and cold, and there was not a single light to see on Lesbos,” he recalls.
“A little hours back we were in typical mediterranean city in Türkiye. environment transformed with cold and dark and of of course feelings of fear what to go with such a journey.”
Alshebl, who was then barely 21 years old, was among a huge wave of of refugees who I arrived in Europe, which year.
After landing in Greece, he made his way through Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia public transport and on foot, duration 12 days in total get to Germany.
In the end it ended up in the refugee center in Altengstätte, a rural region next to the Black Forest.
“In a hostel where you can’t expect more than a bed, a roof and some food for that you are still grateful, you can only do one item: get back on your feet quickly and quickly invest in your own future,” He said.
Alshebl soon learned to speak fluent German – “if you in V countryside you have no other choice, ”and got an internship as an administrative assistant at the town hall of Altengstätt.
He earned German citizenship in 2022, prerequisite for anyone who wants to stand in local elections in Germany.
“To take the responsibility”
Now he’s 29, he’ll take up his post like a mayor of Ostelsheim, a village near Altengstätt, in June.
It is believed that he is first Syrian from the wave of refugees who I arrived in Germany in 2015-16 will elected to the political post.
Alshebl was joined four friends on his journey to Europe. But he left behind his parents And one brother though second brother had already moved to Germany on A student visa.
He said that his experience of flight from Syria and forced to “take responsibility not only for (himself) but also for V environment” Gave him drive go to politics.
“Take on This responsibility at this age you learn a lot. Of course this creates new man, a new personality,” he said.
He also participant of Green, ’cause the climate protection very important” to him.
His victory in everything more amazing considering that Ostelsheim, a village of 2700 peopletraditionally conservative community.
Located in the cluster of hills, the village is surrounded by rolling fields laid out with dry stone walls and hedges.
Far Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party curbed anger over inflow of asylum seekers in 2015-16 on win votes and finally enter parliament for V first time.
openness
But Alshebl said he had not personally seen far-right extremism.
Alshable believes that he elected because he listened to people’s concerns, from child care to digitalization issues.
He admits that he doesn’t really “feel anything”. on he had a hearing won elections in March as he was “overwhelmed”.
But how the congratulations poured in in from all over the world has become clear what’s his story was ‘more than the election of the mayor in A small community.”
Alshable believes that fact he won against two other local candidates who increased up in V area says a lot about mentality of voters.
“This sign What people it was not the origin that was considered, but the qualification. This sign of openness to world,” He said.
Alshebla’s parents, a school teacher and agricultural engineer, belong to the Syrian Druze minority, but he describes himself as non-religious.
He has “mixed feelings” about Syria, which he has not been able to visit since he has been living. in Germany.
“This is the country where you were born and raised… You have long for V people you grew up up with,” He said.
“But I’m happy I got it chance To live here at all” when others didn’t, he said.
