Every yr, with the arrival of winter, the query of the reception of asylum seekers returns to the middle of the European political debate. But in 2025 the stress on the housing system is not simply seasonal: it has grow to be structural. From the city belt of Brussels to the remoted camps of mainland Greece, passing by Italy, the European Union faces a persistent scarcity of lodging for these searching for worldwide safety. A disaster worsened by authorities cuts, administrative delays and, in some circumstances, by a exact deterrence technique.
Greece: camps, isolation and cuts
In Greece, state reception of asylum seekers takes place nearly completely in camps, typically situated in remoted areas with out enough connections. As of October 2025, roughly 22,400 individuals have been residing in services with the next theoretical capability, however in observe entry to obtainable locations is usually denied. Reports from unbiased organizations describe circumstances that don’t meet minimal requirements: shortages of winter clothes, important items distributed in inadequate portions, intermittent companies and the absence of integration measures.
Nearly 9,000 weak individuals have been recognized within the first 9 months of 2025, however with out devoted services. The “Stirixis” program, introduced in 2022 to supply city housing for very weak individuals, was by no means launched. Even for acknowledged refugees, the state of affairs stays crucial: the Helios+ programme, which gives hire subsidies and integration paths, is undersized in comparison with wants and is continuing with severe delays. In autumn 2025 the federal government introduced the abolition of hire subsidies, fueling controversy and political pressure.
Italy: widespread welcome, however underneath stress
The Italian reception system is split into preliminary reception centres, extraordinary reception facilities and the Reception and Integration System (SAI), managed by native authorities. In 2025, over 870 SAI tasks have been lively, coordinated by round 2 thousand municipalities, involving greater than 55 thousand individuals included in housing and social integration paths.
The Italian mannequin focuses on the territorial diffusion of reception, avoiding massive concentrations, and on the reference to native companies. However, the system stays uncovered to the stress of flows and the shortage of obtainable lodging within the territories, in a context of rising pressure on the true property market. Access to public housing is formally assured additionally to holders of worldwide safety, however competitors with different weak teams severely limits the probabilities of steady housing placement.
https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/casa-cercasi-l-europa-senza-posti-i-richiedenti-asilo-mentre-l-inverno-e-porte-AIIv5OS