After many years of Germany being the leading country in Europe in terms of the number of asylum applications, the first quarter of 2026 brought a noticeable change in the overall statistics. The number of new applications there decreased, and the top lines of the European list went to other countries, which is why German figures have begun to be viewed in a different context for the first time in a long time – as a sign of changing migration dynamics within the European Union.
What the European Commission report says
According to data cited by Die Welt, the number of new applications in the country has decreased by 23% compared to the same period last year, and Germany itself has dropped to fourth place among European countries in this indicator for the first time since 2015.
According to a confidential report by the European Commission, 28,922 new asylum applications were registered in Germany from January to March 2026. Against the background of previous years, this figure has changed not only the internal dynamics, but also the country’s place in the European statistics.
Germany was followed by France, with 34,643 applications, Spain with 32,630 and Italy with 32,602 applications. At the other end of the list were Hungary with 26 applications and Slovakia with 35.
However, the largest reductions were recorded among citizens of Syria and Ukraine. The number of applications from Syrians decreased by 63% to 5,556, while 4,073 applications were received from Ukrainians, which is 57% less than in the first quarter of 2025.
These two groups, according to experts, were the main factor in the sharp decline in the total number of applications in Germany. This change affected both the country’s domestic statistics and its position among other EU states.
In addition to European asylum statistics, the report provides a broader migration context. In particular, it is noted that in Iran, as a result of the war with the US and Israel, up to 3.2 million people lost their homeland. Data from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees also indicate that 5.5 million people in Syria were forced to leave their homes due to violence and lack of prospects.
The document also mentions the difficult situation in the Persian Gulf countries, where the situation of migrants remains tense. The six million citizens of Bangladesh who are in this region are given as an example.
What are the reasons for the experts?
Among the reasons for the reduction in the number of applications, experts quoted by the publication call the European Union’s tougher approach to migration policy, which they associate with the course of the European Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner. Separately, the stricter line of the German government, which works under the leadership of Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, is also mentioned.
Added to this is the political context within the country. After meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that 80% of Syrians living in the country should return to their homeland within the next three years. According to the publication, 940,000 Syrian citizens live in Germany.
So, although Germany continues to be among the countries receiving a large number of asylum seekers, statistics for the first quarter of 2026 showed a noticeable shift in the European-wide distribution. A decrease in the number of applications from Syrians and Ukrainians, together with changes in EU and German migration policies, led to the country being in fourth place for the first time in eleven years, not first.
