Study: Radicalization on the rise in Germany
More and more people in Germany are open to various forms of extremist ideologies. At the same time, a clear majority of the population continues to support the fundamental principles of a liberal, constitutional democracy. This is according to the latest MOTRA Monitor 2024/25, which was presented at the MOTRA Research Network's annual conference.
The representative surveys show a significant increase in extremist political attitudes for the years 2021 to 2025. The proportion of people who are open to right-wing extremist ideologies rose from 21.8% in 2021 to 29.6% in 2025. This increase is particularly pronounced among younger age groups.
At the same time, politically motivated crime is also on the rise. At 100.7 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, a new high was reached in 2024. In addition, the number of victims of politically motivated crimes motivated by prejudice registered by the police has risen significantly since 2020 - from 1,221 to 2,162 cases, an increase of around 77%.
The researchers also see indications of growing anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim attitudes. In mid-2025, 7.2 percent of respondents had manifest anti-Semitic attitudes, while 28.3 percent had manifest anti-Muslim attitudes.
Despite these developments, the report also shows stable support for fundamental democratic values. 85.6% of respondents have a positive attitude towards the principles of a liberal democracy. The proportion of people with anti-democratic attitudes is 14.4%, which is slightly lower than the previous high of 16.1% in 2023.
According to the researchers, it is not yet possible to conclusively assess whether this decline already indicates a possible easing of radicalization. Monitoring will continue to observe developments in the coming years.
Source: Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA)
