Anti-immigration policies have been rising across Europe, with many European countries introducing harsh immigration laws. In June 2024, the European Commission adopted new rules, which tightened the Schengen Area and the European Union’s external borders with stricter measures introduced for immigrants, particularly non-EU nationals. Analysts fear that this trend may continue with tougher anti-immigration policies being introduced across Europe as more far-right political parties gain increased political influence in Europe. There has been a rise in the number of immigrants pouring into Europe. The 2024 World Migration Report shows that European countries dominate the top 20 destination countries of migrants globally. In Germany alone, the number of immigrants increased from 7.28 million in 1995 to 14.22 million in 2020. In 2022, of the 2.9 million asylum applications registered in 162 countries, Germany alone recorded 217,800 new claims. In 2023, the number of irregular border crossings at the EU’s external border was approximately 380,000. The number of migrants who reached Europe’s shores through the Mediterranean Sea alone increased from 180,000 in 2022 to 275,000 in 2023.
This edition of Nextier SPD Policy Weekly explains and highlights the implications of the rising wave of anti-immigration policies across Europe.
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