Saxony‑Anhalt asylum applications plunge as citizenship numbers climb

As of 31 May 2026, only 851 asylum seekers arrived in Saxony‑Anhalt, a 37 % drop from 2025 and a 57 % decline from 2024, marking the lowest yearly total since 2012. Interior Minister Tamara Zieschang linked the trend to EU and federal measures and welcomed the new Common European Asylum System, which takes effect in mid‑June 2026 and will move initial asylum procedures to EU external borders, introduce stricter return mechanisms and cut benefits for non‑cooperating exit‑obliged persons.

In 2025, 2,915 foreign nationals were naturalised in Saxony‑Anhalt, a 3.6 % increase over the previous year. Syrians remained the largest group with 1,013 new citizens, though their numbers fell 31 % from 2024. Most new citizens came from Asian countries (68.3 %), and over a quarter were under 18. The majority of naturalisations occurred in the independent cities of Halle (Saale) (579) and Magdeburg (535), and were granted after at least five years of lawful residence, often including spouses and minor children.