German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on Tuesday said he does not expect Germany to see as many irregular migrants and refugees this year as projected.

Earlier reports estimated that up to 220,000 irregular migrants and refugees could arrive in Germany by the end of 2018. But that estimate proved significantly higher than the 100,000 recorded so far this year. Seehofer noted that it was unlikely the migration numbers would jump significantly by the end of December.

The remarks were made during a parliamentary session meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Read more: Opinion: An 'upper limit' on refugees — by any other name

Limiting migrants

Last year, the CDU and CSU agreed to limit the number of irregular migrants entering Germany, although it did not cap migration in general or touch on the right to asylum as enshrined in Germany's Basic Law.

The threshold, which ranges from 180,000 to 220,000, was part of an agreement both parties made before embarking on coalition talks following inconclusive elections in September 2017.

Seehofer has made irregular migration a policy priority. In June, he gave Merkel an ultimatum to find a bloc-wide solution to the question of migrants and refugees or face the possible collapse of her government.

In 2017, more than 186,000 people applied for asylum, down from roughly 280,000 people the year before.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Fleeing war and poverty In late 2014, with the war in Syria approaching its fourth year and Islamic State making gains in the north of the country, the exodus of Syrians intensified. At the same time, others were fleeing violence and poverty in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Niger and Kosovo.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Seeking refuge over the border Vast numbers of Syrian refugees had been gathering in border-town camps in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan since 2011. By 2015, with the camps full to bursting and residents often unable to find work or educate their children, more and more people decided to seek asylum further afield.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? A long journey on foot In 2015 an estimated 1.5 million people made their way on foot from Greece towards western Europe via the "Balkan route". The Schengen Agreement, which allows passport-free travel within much of the EU, was called into question as refugees headed towards the wealthier European nations.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Desperate sea crossings Tens of thousands of refugees were also attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean on overcrowded boats. In April 2015, 800 people of various nationalities drowned when a boat traveling from Libya capsized off the Italian coast. This was to be just one of many similar tragedies - by the end of the year, nearly 4,000 refugees were reported to have died attempting the crossing.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Pressure on the borders Countries along the EU's external border struggled to cope with the sheer number of arrivals. Fences were erected in Hungary, Slovenia, Macedonia and Austria. Asylum laws were tightened and several Schengen area countries introduced temporary border controls.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Closing the open door Critics of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open-door" refugee policy claimed it had made the situation worse by encouraging more people to embark on the dangerous journey to Europe. By September 2016, Germany had also introduced temporary checks on its border with Austria.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Striking a deal with Turkey In early 2016, the EU and Turkey signed an agreement under which refugees arriving in Greece could be sent back to Turkey. The deal has been criticized by human rights groups and came under new strain following a vote by the European Parliament in November to freeze talks on Turkey's potential accession to the EU.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? No end in sight With anti-immigration sentiment in Europe growing, governments are still struggling to reach a consensus on how to handle the continuing refugee crisis. Attempts to introduce quotas for the distribution of refugees among EU member states have largely failed. Conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere show no signs coming to an end, and the death toll from refugee sea crossings is on the rise. Author: Rachel Stewart



ls/kms (Reuters, KNA)