Germany expects the lowest number of asylum applications since 2012
The acting German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expects that 2025 will see the lowest number of asylum applications in more than a decade.
The politician from the SPD party stated that the number of applications could reach around 100,000 this year if the pace of reducing irregular migration continues as it has over the past two years. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the last time the number of asylum applications fell below 100,000 was in 2012.
In the past month of April, 8,840 asylum applications were submitted, compared to about 20,000 in the same month of 2023, representing a decrease of 55%. The total number of applications from the beginning of January to the end of April 2025 was 42,460.
Weiser stated that the German Federal Police is conducting inspections at all land borders, and since October 2023, more than 53,000 people have been denied entry. More than 2,200 smugglers have also been arrested during temporary inspections within the borders. She confirmed that all these measures are being coordinated with European partners and in accordance with European law to ensure their effectiveness and avoid legal challenges.
Weiser emphasized the importance of continuous cooperation with neighboring countries, noting that the new common European asylum system will be a crucial step in managing migration and protecting the external borders of the European Union.
This new system relies on implementing asylum procedures at the external borders of the Union, along with a European solidarity mechanism that distributes refugees among member states. The upcoming coalition government, consisting of CDU and SPD, plans to significantly expand the scope of deporting asylum seekers from the German borders, in coordination with neighboring countries, according to the coalition agreement. However, the question of whether this plan requires the approval of other countries remains a point of contention within the coalition.