Asylum protection applications double in Germany

The European Union’s biggest recipient of asylum seekers, Germany, has seen a 100 percent increase in applications.

Government figures released on Wednesday show the number of people looking for asylum protection doubled in the first seven months of this year, raising concerns over Germany’s ability to cope.

“It is time as well for European solutions,” said Thomas de Maizière, German Interior Minister. “And it is time to think about how to reduce such numbers for Germany in the future. But we will have to deal with high numbers of refugees for the next few years.”

The latest figures come just one day after sources in Germany said the government would sharply raise its expectations to a record-breaking 750,000 this year.

People fleeing conflict in Syria make up the most number of people looking for protection, but Germany has also seen asylum seekers from Albania and Serbia.

Number of German asylum seekers could swell to 750,000 this year http://t.co/UNY2GVNkqJ pic.twitte