Germany sees 51% jump in 2023 asylum applications

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany saw asylum applications jump by around half last year, according to official data released on Monday, adding to pressure on the government to make good on its promises to bring down irregular migration.

In 2023, 351,915 asylum applications were registered in Germany, up 51% compared to the year before, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) said.

"The asylum figures for 2023 show that we must consistently continue our course to limit irregular migration," Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in a statement.

Germany's centre-left coalition government has toughened up its stance on migration as it trails in opinion polls behind right-wing parties.

In recent months, Faeser has announced temporary police controls at Germany's borders, while also working to conclude migration agreements with partner countries in a bid to speed up deportations.

In her statement, the minister lauded a recent agreement to reform European Union asylum policy, under which those with little prospect of protection status will have their application processed at the bloc's external borders.

In 2023, most people applying for asylum in Germany were from Syria (104,651), followed by Turkey (62,624), Afghanistan (53,582), Iraq (12,360), Iran (10,206), Georgia (9,399) and Russia (9,028), the BAMF data showed.

The agency said it had granted protection status in 52% of the cases it issued a decision on.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Nette Nöstlinger, Editing by Rachel More)