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European Report Shows Historic Change in Asylum Requests, with Venezuelans Taking the Lead, Surpassing Syrians and Changing the Main Destinations Chosen in the Bloc. Spain and France Emerge as New Hosting Hubs.
The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) reported that in the first half of 2025, Venezuelans became the nationality with the most protection requests in the European bloc for the first time, surpassing Syrians after a decade of leadership.
During the same period, France and Spain started to concentrate the largest number of applications, leaving Germany in third place.
Unprecedented Turnaround in the Profile of Applications
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The change is primarily explained by the significant drop in requests from Syrians, who lost their historic leadership.
In contrast, Venezuelans advanced and now occupy the top of the nationality ranking.
Although the total volume has decreased, the European system remains under pressure.
By the end of June, 918 thousand cases were awaiting a decision in the first instance, highlighting the backlog of cases in national services.
France and Spain Surpass Germany
For the first time in years, Germany is no longer the main destination.
France received 78 thousand requests in the semester and Spain received 77 thousand.
Germany totaled 70 thousand requests and fell to third place.
In proportional terms, Greece topped the list: there was one request for every 380 inhabitants, indicating pressure above average on its hosting capacity.
Why Venezuelans Migrated to the EU
Spain has established itself as the preferred destination for Venezuelans in the European Union.
According to the agency, 93% of the requests from this nationality were registered in Spanish territory in the first half.
The common language, established diaspora networks, and national policies aimed at labor shortages help explain the choice.
Another factor cited by European authorities is the <strong tightening of migration rules in the United States since the beginning of 2025, which led some Venezuelans to seek legal alternatives in Europe.
At the same time, the reasons driving the departure from Venezuela, such as economic crisis and adverse political environment, persist.
Decline of Syrians and Impact on Decisions
The retraction in requests from Syrians has changed not only the ranking by nationality but also the outcomes of the processes.
The recognition rate dropped to 25%, the lowest level ever recorded by the EUAA for a semester.
The agency attributes this movement mainly to statistical effects: in several European countries, the processing of requests from Syrians was temporarily suspended or withdrawn by the applicants themselves, which counts as a negative outcome in the statistics.
This does not necessarily imply a uniform tightening of reception policies.
Other Nationalities in Highlight
The semester also recorded significant volumes of Afghans and Venezuelans at the top of requests.
There was progress for groups such as Haitians and Congolese (DRC) compared to previous periods.
Meanwhile, Turks and Bangladeshis showed a decline in several countries.
The scenario indicates that pressure on national systems varies according to routes, regional contexts, and specific migration policies.
What Changes with the Migration and Asylum Pact
The European Union approved, in 2024, a comprehensive reform of the migration and asylum system.
The new rules will come into effect from June 2026 and include mandatory border procedures, shorter deadlines for application processing, and a mechanism for solidarity among member states.
In general terms, countries will be able to accelerate the processing of requests from nationalities with low recognition rates, while also reinforcing the division of responsibilities within the bloc.
While the transition is not completed, the European Commission and the EUAA are working with national governments to standardize screenings at the border, organize reception centers, and reduce bottlenecks in the decision-making stage.
The declared goal is to unclog the systems, avoid secondary movements, and ensure that cases without prospects for protection are resolved with greater speed, without suppressing the right to seek asylum.
Brazil Loses Prominence in Recent Flow
For years, countries in South America — including Brazil — have been prominent routes for those leaving Venezuela.
In recent months, however, the attention of applicants has shifted towards the European Union, particularly to Spain, which has come to concentrate the overwhelming majority of requests from Venezuelans.
Experts say this realignment does not diminish the importance of neighboring countries, but indicates that in 2025 the European route gained weight and attractiveness in the decisions of some migrants.
Vir para o Brasil é o mesmo que continuar na Venezuela, perca de tempo e recursos.
Estão fugindo da **** e o Brasil não faz muita diferença!
Claro, fogem de uma **** de regime, aí chegam aqui no Brasil e se deparam com o regime da ****. Que diferença faria para os Venezuelanos? Bora pra Europa mesmo!