Migration to Europe: Germany only in third place for asylum applications

Trend reversal in immigration to Europe: Germany is no longer the country with the most new asylum applications in more than a decade. And one more thing has changed after the half-year balance of the EU Asy Lagstur: After the change of power in Syria, most new asylum seekers no longer come from there to Europe, but from the South American country of Venezuela.

According to the statistics, 70,000 new applications were received by the German authorities in the first half of the statistics. The Federal Republic is therefore in third place behind France (78,000) and Spain (77,000) within the EU. Germany has not been at the top for the first time since 2012.

According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), 78,246 people applied for protection in Germany for the first time from the beginning of January to the end of August. That was about half as many asylum applications as in the same period last year. The fact that the half-annual figures of the Asy Lagstency Euaa, based in Malta, always differ slightly from the BAMF data for this period, is due to the fact that the agency adds monthly figures. As a result, late registrations and double counts are not taken into account. However, the statements about the trend as a whole are not touched.

Interior Minister Schuster: Agency is the result of the border controls

Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) sees a reason for the decline in Germany in the intensified controls and rejection of asylum seekers at the borders. He told the German Press Agency: “Now the next step is to increase the repatriations and deportations relevant in order to enforce the obligation to leave the rejected asylum seeker more consistently.” At the same time, he quickly expected measures from the EU “with which we can get the targeted bypass of the common European asylum rules from Venezuela under control”.

Asylum seekers from Venezuela often enter the EU via Spain. If you apply for asylum in Germany, you will usually be accommodated in Saxony according to the so -called Königstein key. In the first eight months of this year, 1,271 people from Venezuela requested asylum for the first time in Germany. According to BAMF, the comprehensive protection rate for Venezolans was last 10.9 percent.

Minus 43 percent in Germany

The number of new asylum seekers within the European Union and in the non-member states of Norway and Switzerland also decreased overall. By the end of June, a total of 399,000 new applications were registered in the group of 29 countries (EU+) – a decline of 114,000 or 23 percent compared to the first half of 2024. The agency attributes the decline in particular to the fact that after the fall by ruler Bashar al-Assad, there are no longer so many people from Syria.

With the exception of France, the numbers decreased in all major target countries: most clearly in Germany (minus 43 percent), but also in Italy (minus 25 percent) and Spain (minus 13 percent).

Many complain of asylum decisions

This decline is not yet noticeable in the German administrative courts. After an evaluation of the “Deutsche Richterzeitung” (DRZ), the number of asylum lagoon has increased significantly in the first half of the year. Accordingly, 76,646 new main proceedings were received by the administrative courts until June 30th. That is more cases than in the year 2023 (71,885).

The significant reduction in the number of asylum applications in the past few months has probably not yet arrived in the administrative courts, says a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior. However, it should be expected “that if we continue our path consistently and the number of asylum application continues to fall that the judiciary will also be received at some point” and will then lead to permanent relief for administrative courts.

Who makes his application in France and why?

A relatively large number of people from Ukraine are among the asylum seekers in France, although protection is automatically granted to them via the so-called EU massive current directive. However, if you strive for a longer -term prospect of staying, you often choose this path. In fourth place behind France, Spain and Germany, Italy (64,000 new applications) is now found. Great Britain is no longer there in this statistics after leaving the EU.

Almost all of the asylum seekers from Venezuela made their application in Spain, where their mother tongue is spoken. As a target country, it is also attractive for the Venezolans due to a growing economy and a government that welcomes immigrants.

Authoritarian rule and poverty in Venezuela as an escape

The mass emigration from the Latin American country is seen as a direct consequence of the authoritarian rule of President Nicolás Maduro, who has ruled since 2013. According to the Observatorio de la Diáspora Venezolana, more than 9.1 million Venezuelans now live outside of their home country.

The population of Venezuela has shrunk from around 30 million to a good 28 million since 2017. Many flee poverty, lack of infrastructure and health care as well as a lack of perspectives. The aim of migration is neighboring countries such as Colombia, Peru and Chile, but increasingly Europe and North America.

Most newcomers from Venezuela

For the first time in a decade, most new asylum seekers (25,000) did not come from Syria, but from Venezuela (49,000). From Afghanistan, 42,000 people applied for asylum.

Dealing with migrants has been a dispute in European politics for decades. The EU is now working with North African countries to keep migrants from fleeing to Europe. In experiments to cross the Mediterranean with often barely seaworthy boats, fatal disasters always occur.

EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner describes the decline in Brussels as the “result of a more consistent policy”. Now the cooperation with so -called third countries must be improved “so that returns actually work and our asylum systems are relieved”.

Only every fourth application is recognized

According to the agency, the so -called recognition rate decreased to the lowest measured stand: only every fourth first application (25 percent) was approved. Nevertheless, there is a huge mountain of applications that still has to be processed: At the end of June, more than 900,000 applications in the first instance had not yet been decided. Because contradiction is possible, a total of around 1.3 million decisions are pending.