By Voice of America News
New data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) shows that asylum applications across the 27-nation bloc fell by 23 percent during the first half of 2025, largely due to a dramatic decline in Syrians seeking refuge following the fall of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December.
Syrians, who had been the largest group of asylum seekers in Europe over the past decade, fell to fourth place by May, according to the EUAA. “Monthly Syrian asylum applications dropped from roughly 16,000 in October 2024 to just 3,100 in May 2025, a steep fivefold decrease in just seven months,” the agency reported on Monday. It added that this sharp decline, “the like of which has not been seen since the initial wave of COVID-19 … is likely not due to any asylum policy changes in the EU+,” referring to all 27 member states, as well as Switzerland and Norway.
The fall of al-Assad has ushered in a period of relative stability, with interim Syrian authorities promoting reconstruction and social stability in the war-torn country.
Despite ongoing challenges – including violence in Suwayda in southern Syria and Israeli military strikes – there is a growing sense of optimism, prompting more Syrians to return home. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), as of mid-May, “more than 500,000 Syrians are estimated to have crossed back into Syria since the fall of the Assad government.” During the height of the civil war, millions of Syrians fled to neighboring countries and over a million sought refuge in Europe.
With Syrian applications declining, Venezuelans have now become the largest group of asylum seekers in the EU. The surge in Venezuelan applications is attributed to a combination of a “severe economic and political crisis” in the country and evolving U.S. immigration policies, which may influence migration flows. Afghanistan was the source of the second-highest number of applications during the first six months of 2025.
Trends in preferred destinations have shifted as well. Germany, previously the leading destination for asylum seekers, has seen fewer applications compared with Spain, Italy, and France.
Overall, EU+ countries received 399,000 asylum applications in the first six months of 2025, reflecting a significant reduction compared to previous years and highlighting the changing dynamics of migration within Europe.
