Germany reported a near 50% surge in extremist offences over the past year, with politically motivated crimes hitting an all-time high of 84,172 cases, according to Politico.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt vowed to intensify the “fight against right-wing extremism” as authorities linked the spike to deepening social polarisation, election-year tensions, and fallout from the Gaza war.
National-oriented ideologies drove the majority of politically motivated crimes, according to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), with violent offences reaching their highest level since 2016. Of 4,107 violent incidents recorded, over 25% were attributed to national-oriented actors.
BKA chief Holger Münch warned:
When political crimes and violence increase, this is not just a statistical phenomenon — it is a reflection of our social polarisation and growing radicalisation and shows once again that our democracy is under pressure.
The report highlighted a worrying trend of attacks on politicians and campaign staff, with 8,034 offences logged in 2024. Münch noted a “shift to the right” among segments of youth and broader society, alongside rising tolerance for violence.
Meanwhile, antisemitic crimes rose sharply by 21%, totalling 6,236 incidents. Dobrindt expressed particular alarm given Germany’s historical responsibility, stating half of these crimes were perpetrated by national-oriented groups. He also blamed “imported antisemitism” linked to foreign-background actors and protests over the Gaza conflict.
The findings underscore mounting challenges for German authorities as overlapping crises—from election-year radicalisation to global conflicts—inflame domestic tensions.
