The influx of asylum seekers from Turkey to Germany has seen an unprecedented surge, exceeding the number of applications from nationals of war-afflicted Syria and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, German media reported late October.
According to recent statistics from the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Turks filed over 9,000 applications in October alone, overtaking Syrians, who had been the most populous group seeking asylum in Germany on a monthly basis since 2014.
Turks are now at the forefront of asylum applications in Germany, in a significant shift in migration patterns traditionally dominated by Syrian and Afghan nationals.
The rise in applications from Turkish citizens is attributed to the aftermath of the country’s May elections and the ongoing economic challenges, including high inflation and living costs. Projections suggest that by year’s end, the total number of Turkish asylum seekers could approach or even exceed 100,000.
Despite the EU’s classification of Turkey as a non-war and non-crisis country, resulting in a low asylum recognition rate of 14 percent, many Turkish applicants manage to remain in Germany. To date, there have been no mass deportations, except for individuals involved in serious criminal activities.
The current situation has prompted increased border controls across European countries, with Germany and its neighbors intensifying checks.
Since a failed coup in 2016 that led to a widespread crackdown on dissent by the Turkish government, the number of Turkish nationals seeking asylum in Germany and other Western European countries has seen a marked increase.
An ongoing economic crisis in the country caused by skyrocketing inflation, which currently stands at just over 61 percent, and the constant depreciation of the Turkish lira is also prompting some Turks to seek ways to leave the country for a better life in Europe. Moreover, yet another victory by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose party has been ruling Turkey since 2002, in the May presidential election led to disappointment among his opponents, prompting many of them to reconsider living in the country.