Germany Records Sharp Fall in Asylum Applications Amid Policy Shift

Germany Records Sharp Fall in Asylum Applications Amid Policy Shift
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Germany recorded a steep decline in asylum applications last year, with first-time requests falling to 113,236 in 2025, less than half the previous year’s total, according to Interior Ministry figures, as reported by DW. The number also marks a significant drop compared with asylum applications filed in 2023.
The reduction coincided with tougher migration policies introduced by Germany’s conservative-led government.

Measures included stricter border checks, rejecting some asylum seekers at entry points, limiting family reunification, ending fast-track citizenship options, and stepping up deportations, which authorities said rose by about 20 percent during the year.

Despite the stricter approach, government leaders stressed that asylum access has not been completely closed. Chancellor Friederich Merz said Germany remains committed to humanitarian principles while restoring order, adding that new legal migration pathways are being developed alongside efforts to curb irregular migration and enforce existing rules.

Experts say factors beyond domestic policy also contributed to the decline. The fall of Syria’s former government in late 2024 reduced the number of Syrians seeking asylum, while some have returned under voluntary support programmes. Shifting migration policies across Europe, including tighter controls in Italy and more flexible approaches in Spain, have also influenced overall asylum trends.