Europe’s migration policy has undergone a dramatic shift over the past decade, moving from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s optimistic “we can do it” approach in 2015 to increasingly restrictive measures across the continent, driven by political changes and public concerns over security and integration. This transformation reflects a broader European response to the ongoing challenges of migration, with far-right influences rising and humanitarian costs persisting.
The 2015 migrant crisis saw over a million refugees and migrants, primarily from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq, enter Europe, marking the largest population movement since World War II. Merkel’s declaration was initially met with public support and volunteer efforts, such as those by hotelier Paris Louamis on Lesbos, who provided aid to exhausted arrivals. However, the surge in numbers—from 76,000 in July to 170,000 in August 2015 in Germany alone—quickly overwhelmed systems and shifted sentiments.
Merkel’s statement soon became a political liability, perceived by critics as a magnet for more asylum seekers, leading within weeks to border controls in Germany and other nations. The initial welcome gave way to apprehension, fueling the rise of far-right parties across Europe, with support nearly doubling to 27.6% over recent electoral cycles, according to the Atlas Institute of International Affairs. This political shift has compelled even center and left-wing parties to adopt tougher stances on migration to avoid electoral defeats.
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has implemented one of the toughest approaches, building a 175-kilometer fence along the Serbian border in 2015 and immediately returning asylum seekers without permission. Despite facing a daily fine of one million euros from the EU for breaching asylum obligations, Minister János Bóka insists the policy is necessary for national stability. Human rights lawyer Timea Kovács notes that there is effectively no legal way to enter Hungary as a refugee, highlighting the severity of these measures.
Citizen volunteers like Sándor Nagy patrol the Hungarian border, expressing frustration that border defense is often a “political performance” unable to stop determined migrants, who cut through fences with help from organized crime. Austrian police report detecting 20-50 people daily attempting illegal entry from Hungary, underscoring the persistent flow despite restrictions. The growth of human trafficking has led to widespread abuses, with over 32,000 deaths recorded in the past decade, including 1,300 this year, according to the UN.
In Sweden, a historically welcoming nation, public opinion has shifted due to concerns over crime and integration. The far-right Sweden Democrats, now the second-largest party with 20.5% of the vote in 2022, have influenced government policy to reduce asylum quotas and make family reunification more difficult. Syrian refugee Abdulmenem Alsatouf and his family in Karlstad shared experiences of rising racism, contrasting with their warm welcome in 2015, and emphasized their contributions to society through work and taxes.
Current statistics show that while annual arrivals have decreased from the 2015 peak, an average of 200,000 people still attempt to reach Europe each year, with 96,200 recorded so far in 2025. The decrease of 20% this year does not alleviate the underlying drivers, such as global conflicts and economic desperation. Experts like Gerasimos Tsourapa, a professor at the University of Birmingham, point out the paradox of Europe restricting asylum while needing migrant labor to address economic shortages.
The EU has engaged in migration diplomacy, making deals with countries like Turkey, Morocco, and Libya to curb flows, but this has led to documented pushbacks and human rights issues. The cemetery in Lesbos with graves marked “Unknown” serves as a sobering reminder of the risks migrants face. Ultimately, the fundamental challenge for European leaders is to balance security, humanity, and economic needs in the face of inevitable migration pressures driven by unresolved global crises.