The number of people applying for asylum in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/europe" target="_blank">Europe</a> reached a seven-year high last year, the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/european-union/" target="_blank">EU</a> said on Wednesday. Latest figures show that more than 1.1 million people applied for international protection in 2023, with most of them <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/syria/" target="_blank">Syrian</a> nationals. Many European nations are struggling with the divisive issue of the increase in arrivals of asylum seekers and other <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/migrants" target="_blank">migrants</a>. Some say more should be turned away at borders; others feel the continent should continue to welcome people fleeing persecution. The EU asylum agency’s figures are compiled from claims in the 27 countries of the bloc, plus <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/norway" target="_blank">Norway</a> and <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/switzerland" target="_blank">Switzerland</a>. The agency said 181,000 Syrians sought asylum last year – a 38 per cent rise from 2022 – while <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/afghanistan" target="_blank">Afghan</a> nationals made up the second biggest group, with 114,000 claims filed. But the number of Afghans was 11 per cent down compared to 2022. Syrians stood the best chance of all nationalities of having their claims accepted, the agency said. More <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/palestine" target="_blank">Palestinians</a> lodged asylum applications last year – nearly 11,600, or two thirds higher than the year before. Under international <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/refugees/" target="_blank">refugee</a> law, people have the right to apply for asylum when they are fleeing conflict, fear for their safety or due to possible persecution over their race, gender, sexuality or religion. In Europe, people who apply because they are seeking jobs or better lives are often refused entry. Germany received the most applications by far last year, with 334,000 people seeking asylum, but <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/cyprus" target="_blank">Cyprus</a> was under the greatest pressure from migrants wanting to stay on the island, compared to its population. The agency said 12,000 people applied for protection in Cyprus in 2023. France received 167,000 applications, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/spain" target="_blank">Spain</a> 162,000, and <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/italy" target="_blank">Italy</a> 136,000. Combined with <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/germany/" target="_blank">Germany</a>, the four received more than two thirds of all the applications made in 2023. People from <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/turkey/" target="_blank">Turkey</a> – a candidate to become an EU member, although its talks are at a standstill – also applied in far greater number, with 101,000 asylum applications by Turkish citizens, up 82 per cent from 2022. About one fifth of all the claims were made by people entitled to visa-free travel in Europe, including 68,000 <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/venezuela/" target="_blank">Venezuelans</a> and 63,000 <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/colombia/" target="_blank">Colombians</a>. The rise in applications, along with Europe welcoming in, at least temporarily, more than 4.4 million <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/ukraine/" target="_blank">Ukrainians</a> who have fled the war since <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/russia/" target="_blank">Russia's</a> invasion two years ago, is overwhelming Europe’s asylum capacity. The agency said that in December it was helping 13 countries to cope.