Germany is projected to see its lowest number of asylum seekers in over ten years this year, according to outgoing interior minister Nancy Faeser, who spoke to newspapers on Sunday. Faeser indicated that if the decline in irregular migration continues at the pace observed over the past two years, the number of asylum seekers could be around 100,000 this year. The last instance of fewer than 100,000 asylum applications was recorded in 2012, as per the federal migration office.
In 2024, there were nearly 251,000 applications, a decrease from approximately 352,000 the year before. Alexander Dobrindt, Faeser’s successor from the conservative CSU, has committed to enhancing border controls and increasing the number of individuals denied entry at the border shortly after assuming office next week. Dobrindt emphasized the need to reduce illegal migration numbers in an interview with Bild am Sonntag.
The newspaper reported that several thousand additional officials will be deployed to assist federal police at the borders, and aerial monitoring of border areas will be intensified as part of Dobrindt’s proposed initiatives. The new German government has pledged to adopt a stricter approach to migration to diminish support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has gained traction due to public dissatisfaction with border security.
