Asylum applications in the European Union, Norway, and Switzerland dropped by around 12% in 2024, according to a report by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). The Malta-based agency recorded just over 1 million initial applications last year, compared to 1.14 million in 2023. These figures included applications from the 27 EU member states, Norway, and Switzerland, as reported by German news agency DPA and Welt am Sonntag.
Germany remained the most popular destination for asylum seekers, with 235,925 initial applications submitted in 2024. However, this represented a significant decrease of 30.2% compared to 2023, according to data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Most asylum seekers in the EU came from Syria, accounting for 15% of the total, followed by Afghanistan at 8.7%, Venezuela at 7.3%, and Turkey at 5.5%. Germany saw a similar trend, with the majority of applications coming from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
Spain ranked second in the number of asylum applications, receiving 165,398 applicants, followed by France with 158,512 and Italy with 154,824. In stark contrast, Hungary received only 29 new asylum applications in 2024, reflecting its continued resistance to accepting migrants. This policy has led to ongoing tensions between Budapest and Brussels.
Migration continues to be a key issue in European politics, particularly in Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has gained support with its anti-immigrant rhetoric ahead of the February election.