EU claims credit for migration drop as Syrian asylum claims collapse post-Assad

EU home affairs commissioner Magnus Brunner credits EU migration policy for a sharp decline in irregular arrivals, but the primary driver is the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024, which removed Syria as the largest source of arrivals. The EU's attribution is misleading, as the drop stems from a geopolitical shift outside EU control. This matters because it shapes EU migration policy credibility and future asylum frameworks.