Germany's AfD hits record 29% support as asylum applications plunge

A YouGov poll shows the far‑right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) at 29% support, the highest ever recorded for the party and nine points ahead of the governing CDU/CSU coalition, which fell to 20%. The Greens were third at 14% and the SPD and Left each at 12%.

At the same time, asylum applications to Germany have dropped sharply, reaching the lowest level since 2013. Between January and May, about 50,000 applications were filed, with May seeing just over 5,000 – a 30% decline from the previous year and far below the 2016 peak of 745,000. Officials attribute the fall to the end of the Syrian war, stricter border checks and faster deportations.

Despite the reduced migration pressure, the AfD’s popularity continues to rise, now overtaking the union parties in many surveys. Politicians such as CSU leader Markus Söder acknowledge that curbing the AfD is harder than expected, and party spokespeople note that the AfD has broadened its appeal beyond migration, tapping fears about the economy, welfare cuts and an uncertain future. The CDU/CSU’s hope that fewer asylum seekers would diminish the AfD’s appeal has not materialised.