Germany: Asylum applications rose sharply in 2023
More than 350,000 people applied for asylum in Germany in 2023, the highest number since 2016. Opposition parties have blamed the government for not controlling what they call a "migration crisis." Altogether 352,000 people sought asylum in Germany in 2023, with some 329,000 putting in a first application — a rise here of 51%, or 111,000 people, compared with the previous year — the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has said. In response to the latest statistics, the opposition has accused the government of promoting illegal immigration with its policies. People fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, of whom there are more than a million in Germany, are not included in the figures, as they do not have to apply for asylum. What did the statistics say? The figures for 2023 show the most asylum applications since 2016, when 722,370 initial applications were filed. Some 23,000 of the total of 352,000 applications lodged were follow-up attempts on fai...