The Bavarian government has announced a notable change in its migration policy, claiming a successful shift evidenced by statistics showing a steep decline in new asylum application numbers. According to the state’s asylum report for 2025, new asylum applications have fallen by 57%, from 31,900 to 13,850, suggesting a significant reduction in the influx of refugees. This marks a clear change from the previous trend of heightened immigration into the region, indicating a concerted effort by the government to manage migration more effectively.

In conjunction with the decrease in asylum applications, the report reveals a rise of nearly 10% in the number of residency terminations, totaling 19,400. The interior minister of Bavaria, Joachim Hermann, emphasized that most of these terminations stemmed from voluntary departures, which accounted for 15,764 cases. However, the number of deportations has also increased by about 21%, reaching 3,649. These figures underscore a more stringent approach to migration, one that seeks to balance the number of arrivals with the capacities for integration and management within the state.

The highlighted statistics are part of a broader narrative in German politics around migration policy, especially in Bavaria, a state that has been significantly impacted by migration challenges in recent years. Hermann’s comments reflect a stance of reduced tolerance for excessive inflows without corresponding integration efforts. This recalibration in approach marks a pivotal moment for Bavaria, suggesting a potential model for other regions grappling with similar issues, while also raising questions about the future of asylum policies in Germany as a whole.