France and Spain overtake Germany in asylum applications

In the first half of 2025, Germany lost its leading position among the EU countries with the most asylum applications. For the first time, France (78,000 applications) and Spain (77,000 applications) are now in the lead.

Germany has thus fallen back to third place with 70,000 applications – a significant decline compared to previous years, when it was the main destination for asylum seekers.

A total of 399,000 asylum applications were filed in the European Union, Norway, and Switzerland by June of this year. This represents a 23 percent decline compared to the first half of 2024.

There was a particularly sharp decline in applicants from Syria, with their numbers falling by 25,000.

In contrast, the number of Venezuelan asylum seekers rose significantly, forming the largest group in the first half of 2025.

This development is linked to the stricter migration policy of the US, which limits the admission of Venezuelan migrants. Many of them are therefore now seeking refuge in Europe.

Venezuelan migrants can enter Europe without a visa and apply for asylum or visas directly within the Schengen area.

Countries with rising asylum application numbers include Italy, France, and Spain, which together account for almost three-quarters of all applications in the EU.

(euronews, sie)