Turkish nationals came in second in the number of asylum applications filed in Austria in September, the TR724 news website reported, citing the Austrian Ministry of the Interior.
A total of 8,299 Turkish nationals applied for asylum in September, making them the second largest group after Syrians. The Austrian daily OE24 said such a high number of Turks seeking asylum was “astounding.”
Since a failed coup in 2016 that led to a widespread crackdown on dissent by the Turkish government, the number of Turkish nationals seeking asylum in Western European countries has seen a marked increase.
An ongoing economic crisis in the country caused by high inflation, which stands at close to 50 percent, and the constant depreciation of the Turkish lira is also prompting some Turks to seek ways to leave the country for a better life in Europe. Moreover, yet another victory by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose party has been ruling Turkey since 2002, in the May presidential election led to disappointment among his opponents, prompting many of them to reconsider living in the country.
