A massive decrease in asylum applications in Germany
Germany has seen a significant decline in the number of asylum applications during the first half of 2025, with a decrease of 43 percent compared to the same period last year. A total of 65,495 asylum applications were submitted between January 1 and June 30, according to a report by "Welt am Sonntag" based on a confidential report from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).
With this decline, Germany has lost its position as the top destination for asylum applications in Europe for the first time in years. Spain recorded 76,020 asylum applications during the same period, followed by France with 75,428 applications, while Germany ranked third, then Italy with 62,534, followed by Greece with 27,718 and Belgium with 17,285 applications.
The least welcoming countries for asylum seekers were Hungary with 47 applications, followed by Slovakia with 84 applications, and then Lithuania with 152 applications. The vast majority of asylum seekers in Germany were from Afghanistan (22 percent), Syria (20 percent), and Turkey (11 percent). Those coming from Russia represented 3.1 percent, making them the fifth largest group in terms of numbers. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt considered the new figures as evidence of the success of what he called the "migration policy shift," pointing out in a statement to the newspaper "Bild" that the government continues to "reset the migration path."
At the level of the European Union, the number of asylum applications between January and June reached 388,299, a decrease of 23 percent compared to the first half of 2024. The most common nationalities applying for asylum were from Venezuela (48,413), followed by Afghanistan (41,127) and then Syria (23,307). Spain remains the primary destination for Venezuelans, while Afghans and Syrians prefer to head to Germany.
European Parliament member and migration expert Lina Dupont stated that this decline is due to seasonal factors, stronger cooperation with third countries, in addition to partnership agreements with North African countries in coordination with the European border agency "Frontex."