In the first quarter of 2026, Germany received 28,922 asylum applications — a 23% decrease compared to the same period last year, according to Die Welt, citing a confidential European Commission report and data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).
The number of applications for international protection in Germany has thus fallen by almost a quarter, reaching a historic low in recent years. For the first time since 2015, Germany has lost its top spot in European asylum statistics, dropping to fourth place in the EU.
The countries now ahead of it are:
France (approximately 34,643 applications)
Spain (32,630)
Italy (32,602)
According to sources, the decline is largely driven by a drop in applications from Syrian and Ukrainian nationals. At the same time, the leading countries of origin in the first quarter were Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
The overall trend across the European Union (including Norway and Switzerland) also points to an 18% decrease compared to Q1 2025.
Experts attribute the fall in applications in Germany to tougher migration policies, strengthened border controls, and faster processing and return procedures.