Official data reveals a significant decrease in initial asylum applications compared to the previous year. According to figures reported by “Bild am Sonntag” authorities registered a total of 70,011 applications between January and July. This figure represents a substantial drop from the 140,783 applications recorded during the corresponding period in 2024, a decline exceeding 50 percent.
While July saw a slight increase in applications, reaching 8,293 – a rise from fewer than 7,000 in June – it remains considerably lower than the 18,503 applications processed in July of the previous year, the newspaper reports.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced further measures, specifically targeting human trafficking networks. He stated, “We have significantly reduced the number of initial asylum applications compared to last year. Our course will continue. We want procedures at the EU external borders, faster decisions and consistent deportations. We are declaring a tougher fight against the smugglers, because the state must regulate who enters our country, not criminal smuggling gangs”. The government intends to maintain its current policies focused on border management and streamlined asylum processes.