Increased expulsions in Berlin - "Impossible under the coalition of RED-RED-GREEN"
In a significant turn of events, Germany is experiencing a substantial decrease in asylum seeker numbers, marking a departure from the highs seen during the red-red-green coalition era, which ended in late 2021.
The decline is evident in the first half of 2025, with approximately 61,300 first-time asylum applications, representing a 50% year-on-year decrease and a 70% drop compared to two years ago. The trend is also visible in Berlin, where monthly applications have reached record lows, with June 2025 seeing fewer than 7,000 new applications, the lowest since March 2013.
This shift can be attributed to a more restrictive migration policy, enhanced border controls, and higher rejection rates at entry points. The policy change came after the red-red-green coalition period and is associated with the current government's approach to migration, led by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU).
The migration turnaround is not limited to Germany as a whole. Baden-Württemberg's migration minister, Marion Gentges, has announced the beginning of an asylum turnaround in her state, a sentiment echoed by more and more federal states, according to a survey by BILD and BZ. Bavaria's Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, attributes this trend to the effectiveness of the federal government's measures, including border controls and the introduction of a payment card.
In Berlin, from January to May, there were 7,190 voluntary departures and 685 deportations, totaling 7,875 departures. This means that almost twice as many are leaving Berlin as are entering in the specified time period. The number of departures from Berlin exceeds the number of new asylum applications, a trend that is also seen in other states.
The Senate led by Kai Wegner in Berlin is keeping its promise to reduce asylum seeker numbers. Berlin is leading in deportations and departures nationwide, even ahead of Bavaria. Berlin's CDU General Secretary, Ottilie Klein, sees the decrease in new asylum seeker numbers as a success of the black-red coalition in Berlin.
In Bavaria, a total of 6,261 migrants have voluntarily departed and 1,519 have been deported by May. Comparatively, Bavaria recorded 5,845 asylum applications in the same period. In June, 260 people were deported in Baden-Württemberg, with an additional average of 280 voluntary departures in the 1st quarter, totaling about 540 departures for the month. In June, Baden-Württemberg reached a "lowest level" of 527 asylum applications.
In the area of responsibility of the federal police, a total of 25,127 departures were recorded by May, which is more than four times the number of asylum applications (5,937). This suggests that the stricter border controls and increased rejections at borders are having a significant impact on the number of asylum seekers entering and remaining in Germany.
The current status of asylum seeker numbers in Germany indicates a significant change since the coalition years when numbers were much higher. Germany is no longer the top asylum destination in Europe, a testament to the effectiveness of the current government's approach to migration.
The step change in Germany's migration policy, characterized by stricter border controls and harsher rejection rates, contributes to the decline in asylum seeker numbers seen in the first half of 2025, which is reflected in the reduction of applications both nationwide and in cities like Berlin. This policy shift falls under the general news category, with politics being at the forefront as it concerns policy-and-legislation, particularly the approach to migration led by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.
