The European Union witnessed over one million asylum applications last year, marking the highest number in seven years, primarily from Syrians and Afghans, as announced by the European Union Agency for Asylum on Wednesday.
This surge in asylum requests in 2023 nearly reaches the levels of 2015-2016, a period during which hundreds of thousands, including Syrians fleeing the civil war, sought refuge in Western countries, according to Agence France-Presse.
Immigration remains a critical issue in Europe as the elections in June draw near, with an expected increase in representation for far-right nationalist parties advocating for stricter entry standards in the European Parliament.
Germany, an EU member state that received the highest number of asylum applications in 2023, accounting for about 29% of the total, faces particular concern as the far-right Alternative for Germany party gains traction in polls.
The European Union Agency for Asylum reported that 1.14 million asylum applications were filed last year across the 27 EU member states, plus Norway and Switzerland, part of the Schengen Area.
This represents an 18% increase from 2022 and confirms a rising trend since 2020, as the EU emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic that had imposed travel restrictions.
Germany received 334,000 applications, double the number received by France (167,000), and significantly higher than Italy (136,000).
Across the EU, Syrians filed 181,000 applications, while Afghans submitted 114,000, a decrease of 11% from 2022.
Turkish citizens filed 101,000 applications, an 82% increase from the previous year, with most applications made in Germany.
Spain saw a one-third increase in applications from Venezuelans and Colombians, exceeding 60,000 requests from each group, who often enter Spain without a visa.
Asylum applications also included Moroccans, mostly in Austria, Egyptians, primarily in Italy, and citizens from Guinea and Ivory Coast, who mainly applied in France.
While Germany received one in every three applications, Cyprus recorded the highest ratio of applications relative to its population.
Not all applications across the EU are approved, with the European Union Agency for Asylum reporting an overall acceptance rate of 43% last year, the highest since 2016.
However, approval rates vary significantly by nationality, with Syrians (80%) and Afghans (61%) more likely to be granted protection.
The acceptance rate for Turks in the EU has “significantly” dropped since 2019, with only a quarter of the applications approved, according to the agency.
