Asylum applications in Germany fell by almost 60 percent in August compared to the same month last year.
BERLIN: Asylum applications in Germany decreased significantly in August, plummeting by nearly 60 percent compared to the corresponding month last year.
According to interior ministry figures released on Tuesday, a total of 7,803 individuals applied for asylum for the first time in August, down from 18,427 during the same period in the previous year.
This drop reflects the government's efforts to curb migration under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who assumed office in May.
Under Merz's leadership, Germany has implemented stringent border controls and conducted deportations to
Afghanistan.
Additionally, the government has restricted family reunifications for certain migrants and intends to further tighten the criteria for obtaining German citizenship.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized that these figures serve as evidence of the effectiveness of the new asylum policy, stating that the measures taken are yielding positive results.
Moving forward, Dobrindt highlighted the need to strengthen the common European asylum system in order to diminish the migration pressure on Europe even further.
This trend is not a recent development, as July also exhibited a decline in asylum applications.
In comparison to August last year, 8,293 applications were registered in July, down from 18,503.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) reported that the first seven months of the year saw 70,011 applications filed, which is lower than the 140,783 applications recorded during the same period in 2024.