Overview

• Interior Minister René Wilke reported broad public acceptance of initial humanitarian support but said integration challenges proved larger than anticipated.
• Authorities counted 684 voluntary departures, 101 deportations and 25 transfers this year, totaling 810 returns compared with 650 by August last year.
• Arrivals have declined after a 2022 peak of 39,507 largely driven by people fleeing Ukraine, with about 26,000 in 2015, 9,301 last year and 4,055 recorded so far this year.
• Wilke cited measures that include border controls against irregular migration, stronger benefit sanctions, a cash card for asylum seekers and welcome centers.
• AfD leaders branded the situation “mass migration” and called for border closures and “remigration,” as the Landtag majority rejected AfD motions for a naturalization moratorium and school quotas as unlawful or discriminatory.