France and Spain surpass Germany in refugee arrivals as asylum applications drop across Europe
Asylum applications to the European Union fell by 23% in the first half of 2025, driven by a sharp decline in Syrians seeking international protection, according to a report released Monday by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).
Sharp decline in Syrian asylum claims
Data from the EUAA revealed that Syrians filed approximately 25,000 asylum requests in the 27-nation bloc, plus Switzerland and Norway (EU+), marking a 66% decrease compared to the same period last year.
The agency attributed this "remarkable reduction" not to policy changes but to the political shift in Syria following the removal of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad.
"With the new Syrian authorities advocating for stability and reconstruction, many displaced Syrians have evidently become more hopeful about returning to rebuild their communities," the EUAA said in its report.
Previously the largest group of asylum seekers, Syrians are now ranked third, overtaken by Venezuelans and Afghans as the leading applicants.
France and Spain lead in asylum numbers
In a surprising shift, France and Spain have overtaken Germany as the primary destinations for asylum seekers. In total, EU+ countries received 399,000 asylum applications in the first six months of 2025, with Venezuelans accounting for 49,000 of these cases.
Economic and political instability at home has driven Venezuelans to top the list of applicants, while Afghans remain a significant group as well.
Implications for EU migration policy
The significant drop in asylum applications is likely to be welcomed in Brussels, where the European Union has been under increasing pressure to tighten its migration policies. Public opinion has soured on migration in recent years, contributing to electoral gains for far-right parties in several EU member states.
Earlier this year, the European Commission proposed measures to simplify the deportation of asylum seekers and further curb migration flows.
