Markus Schreiber/AP
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Markus Schreiber/AP
Tareq Alaows stands in front of the Reichstag in Berlin. Alaows came to Germany as an asylum-seeker in 2015 and launched his campaign to run in Germany's federal election in September for the Green Party, but recently withdrew.
Markus Schreiber/AP
BERLIN — Tareq Alaows was hoping to become the first Syrian refugee to win a seat in Germany's parliament when the country goes to the polls in September.
Speaking to NPR in February after announcing his candidacy with the Green Party, the 31-year-old lawyer and human rights activist from Damascus was full of ambition to help make Germany a better place.