Germany loses allure as asylum seekers favor France and Spain
Is Germany no longer a paradise for migrants? This is suggested by a secret report commissioned by the European Commission. It turns out that Syrians and refugees of other nationalities are more likely to choose France and Spain. This is the first situation of its kind in years.
For many years, Germany was the most popular country for asylum seekers. Every year, it received thousands of applications from migrants, particularly from Syria. Today, the popularity of Berlin, Munich, and other German cities has decreased among people from the Middle East.
Such conclusions can be drawn from an analysis of the report commissioned by the European Commission, which was accessed by German journalists. It shows that in the first quarter of 2025, there was a significant drop in asylum applications among Syrians and people of other nationalities.
New research conducted by the Commission shows noticeable changes, particularly in terms of the number of Syrians applying for asylum, according to journalists from "Welt am Sonntag," cited by "Fakt."
The report indicates that France is currently the most popular country for asylum seekers. There were 40,871 asylum applications submitted there. Spain is in second place, with 39,318 submissions. Germany rounds out the top three. In the first quarter of 2025, Germany received 37,387 asylum requests. This is a drop of 41 percent compared to the previous year.
According to the report, Germany's introduction of border controls is one possible influence on this situation. Since October 2023, controls have been in place at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. Since September 2024, German border guards have been checking vehicles at the borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark.
According to the report, Hungary and Slovakia are on the other end of the spectrum. Budapest and Bratislava's strict migration policies have resulted in just 22 and 7 asylum applications being submitted there, respectively.
