Germany has lost its long-held leading position in the European Union for the number of asylum applications. According to a confidential European Commission study obtained by Welt am Sonntag, France became the top destination for asylum seekers in the EU in the first quarter of 2025.
In the first few months of the year, nearly 41,000 asylum applications were filed in France. Spain ranked second with over 39,000 applications, while Germany dropped to third place with just over 37,000 — a 41% decrease compared to the same period in 2024.
The lowest numbers of applications were recorded in Hungary and Slovakia, with just 22 and 37 respectively. In total, more than 210,000 asylum requests were submitted across the EU during the first quarter of 2025.
The most common countries of origin for asylum seekers were Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Syria. Notably, applications from Venezuelan nationals rose by 44% year-on-year. There was also an 84% increase in applications from Ukrainians, though it remains unclear whether these refer to refugee status or temporary protection — two distinct legal mechanisms.
Migration continues to be a highly sensitive political issue in Germany. Ahead of the snap elections, it became one of the key topics of the campaign. The conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), currently negotiating a coalition government, have already agreed on a significantly stricter migration policy. This agreement may lay the foundation for the toughest migration stance Germany has adopted in decades, amid growing support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Elsewhere in Europe, stricter migration measures are also being implemented. In March, Poland signed a law suspending the right to asylum for individuals crossing from Belarus, as part of broader efforts to curb irregular migration from third countries. Meanwhile, the UK saw a 20-year record in asylum applications in 2024.
