Overview

• Friedrich Merz, poised to become Germany's next Chancellor, has proposed reducing annual asylum applications to fewer than 100,000, emphasizing the strain on public infrastructure.
• Key measures include a return offensive to deport rejected asylum seekers and a temporary suspension of family reunification policies as part of the coalition agreement.
• Merz has reaffirmed his commitment to enforcing stricter border controls to turn away asylum seekers at Germany's borders.
• Negotiations with neighboring countries, particularly Austria, are underway to foster international cooperation on managing asylum applications.
• Germany recorded 229,751 first-time asylum applications in 2024, a decrease of approximately 100,000 compared to the previous year, but Merz argues further reductions are essential.