Asylum applications in Germany: decline by almost 45 percent in the first half of the year

Asylum applications in Germany: decline by almost 45 percent in the first half of the year

Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland - The wind has turned in German asylum policy. According to the latest figures, asylum applications in Germany decreased sharply in the first half of 2025. According to Tagesschau 61,336 people for the first time applied for asylum, while 11,482 follow-up applications were received. Compared to the previous year, this means a dramatic decline of 44.9 percent, because from January to June 2024 there were still 132.201 asylum applications.

The reasons for this development are diverse. Stricter border controls, measures of Balkan countries and the changed location in Syria play a crucial role. Syria, which was previously a main country of origin for asylum seekers, recorded only limited influx with 15,127 applications to Afghanistan (15.181). A trend reversal that is also reflected in the numbers.

The overall picture in Europe

The entire European Union is faced with a similar decline. In the first half of 2025, a total of 388,299 asylum applications were recorded in the EU, Norway and Switzerland, which corresponds to a decline by 23 percent compared to the previous year. Popular target countries are also Spain and France, which are at the top with 76.020 and 75,428 asylum applications. Germany follows in third place with the applications mentioned so far, such as europarl summarized.

The main origin countries in the EU are Venezuela with 48,413, Afghanistan with 41.127 and Syria with 23:307 applications. Germany remains the preferred target country for Afghan and Syrian refugees, while Spain increasingly attracts Venezuelan asylum seekers. These developments are not only important for the countries concerned, but also have an impact on the entire EU and its migration policy.

criticism of migration policy

Interior Minister Dobrindt sees successes of his migration policy in the back numbers, but he also reaps criticism. Green Group leader Britta Haßelmann expresses concerns that the politics of the federal government could endanger European cooperation. In a confidential report by the EU Asylagentur (EUAA), the strict measures are also pointed out, which affect, among other things, the abolition of protection status for certain refugees from Syria, especially for criminals and endangers.

It also becomes exciting in the neighboring countries. Poland also plans to take their own measures in response to German border controls. This shows that the topic of migration is not only a national, but also a European challenge.

With the current developments, the question of the future orientation of asylum policy in Germany and Europe remains open. How quickly will the circumstances change? And how will politics react to it? These questions will have to answer the coming weeks and months.