German asylum applications fall as AfD leads polls and protests grow

Germany recorded a sharp decline in asylum seekers, with the Interior Ministry reporting 4,311 initial applications in July—nearly half the figure recorded in July 2025. The data reflects a broader downward trend in initial claims over the past six months.

Meanwhile, political tensions persist nationwide. In Plauen, Saxony, thousands of demonstrators organized by "Einigkeit für Deutschland" gathered to demand the federal government's resignation. While FAZ reported police estimates of approximately 10,000 participants alongside 400 counter-protesters, Die Zeit noted that authorities had not immediately confirmed exact turnout numbers.

In electoral politics, the latest Deutschlandtrend survey showed the Alternative for Germany (AfD) expanding its poll lead over the CDU/CSU alliance. In Berlin, SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach proposed using police inspections and introducing a rent registry to combat excessive rental charges.

Sources: DW, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, FAZ, Tagesschau