Recent EU asylum statistics reveal a significant decline in applications in Germany, yet it remains the leading choice for Afghan refugees.

According to unpublished data from the European Union Asylum Agency, Germany received 51,147 asylum applications in the first half of 2026, marking a 27% decrease from the previous year. Despite this decline, 37% of applicants were from Afghanistan, making it the top destination for Afghan refugees in the EU.

Germany now ranks fourth in total asylum applications within the EU+, following France, Italy, and Spain. The report highlights a broader trend of decreasing asylum requests across Europe, with a total of 321,627 applications recorded in the first half of 2026, down 19.3% from the same period in 2025.