Malta: The number of asylum applications received in the European Union, Norway, and Switzerland decreased by over one tenth (11%) in 2024, according to the Malta-based European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).

According to Qatar News Agency, the agency’s report released Monday indicated that 1.01 million asylum applications were submitted in 2024, down from 1.14 million in 2023. Germany received the highest number of applications, totaling 237,000, which accounted for 23% of the total applications.

The report also highlighted that, as of December 2024, around 4.4 million individuals displaced due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine were receiving temporary protection in the EU, Norway, and Switzerland.

Irregular migration has emerged as a significant concern in European politics over the past decade. This issue is mirrored in the rise of far-right movements across Western societies. Right-wing political parties have concentrated their election campaigns on addressing migration, with promises to enforce strict measures and aim for its elimination in the future.