Spain Beats Germany, Tops EU, In Asylum Requests Amid Shift In Migrant Patterns

According to an unpublished EU Agency for Asylum report, Germany is no longer the top destination for asylum seekers in the EU. The report notes a significant shift in the bloc's asylum system, with a 25% drop in applications in May 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. The decline is largely driven by a sharp fall in Syrian asylum claims, from 16,000 in October 2024 to 3,100 in May 2025. Spain, Italy, and France have surpassed Germany as the top destinations for asylum seekers. Spain received the most applications in May 2025, mainly from Venezuelans fleeing economic and political crisis. Italy is second, with most claims coming from Bangladeshis and Peruvians. France follows, with applicants from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, and Haiti. The EU Agency for Asylum attributes the decline in Syrian claims to changing circumstances in Syria, rather than asylum policy changes. Despite the decline, Germany still hosts the largest asylum seeker population, having granted asylum to 150,000 people in 2024. The agency's report highlights a significant shift in the EU's asylum system, with new countries and nationalities emerging as top destinations for asylum seekers.