Right-wing populism and nationalism in Germany - Statistics & Facts
Around 43 percent of people were worried about right-wing extremism, and this is not without cause. In the EU elections in 2024, the AfD, a well-known far right party, received around 16 percent of votes in Germany which was the second highest share. Furthermore, the party was only founded in 2013, and thus relatively new compared to the parties such as the CDU or CSU, SPD, and Die Grünen, but still so many voters seem to be identifying with its message.
The political situation in Germany has been tense, resulting in attacks on politicians. A couple of the attacks that made headlines included when the former mayor of Berlin, Franziska Giffey, was hit from behind with a bag of heavy objects in a library, and when Matthias Ecke, an SPD politician, was beat up by a group of four people in Dresden whilst hanging up campaign posters. 94 percent of people in Germany said that the violence against politicians, police, and emergency workers was a big or very problem. The party which suffered the most attacks on politicians by a large margin was Die Grünen. These acts of violence only heighten tensions between opposing sides of the political spectrum and may leave politicians feeling unsafe in performing their duties.
The AfD stands for Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany). Since 2013, the year the party was founded, they have seen more success than any other far-right party when it comes to membership. As of 2023, the party had around 11,300 members whilst the NPD, the second-largest party, had 2,800 members. A 2024 survey found that 78 percent of respondents saw the AfD as on the right-wing extremist fringe rather than a normal democratic party. In 2022, it was ruled that the BfV (German domestic intelligence services) could monitor the party because it was classed as a suspected right-wing extremist group. The youth division of the party, known as Junge Alternative für Deutschland, has been placed under even more intense surveillance, which even includes phone tapping and undercover operations because it was deemed a right-wing extremist group.
It is difficult to predict how the political landscape in Germany will develop. The country’s history means that laws are particularly focused on protecting democracy and preventing right-wing groups from threatening the liberties of people. At the same time, having a democratic system means that people are entitled to have their own opinion and vote for a party that they believe represents their opinions. This could mean that the AfD and similar right-wing parties will have a noticeable presence in the German political landscape until such as time as people stop agreeing with their political rhetoric.
Attitude towards politics in Germany
The political situation in Germany has been tense, resulting in attacks on politicians. A couple of the attacks that made headlines included when the former mayor of Berlin, Franziska Giffey, was hit from behind with a bag of heavy objects in a library, and when Matthias Ecke, an SPD politician, was beat up by a group of four people in Dresden whilst hanging up campaign posters. 94 percent of people in Germany said that the violence against politicians, police, and emergency workers was a big or very problem. The party which suffered the most attacks on politicians by a large margin was Die Grünen. These acts of violence only heighten tensions between opposing sides of the political spectrum and may leave politicians feeling unsafe in performing their duties.
Rise of the AfD
The AfD stands for Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany). Since 2013, the year the party was founded, they have seen more success than any other far-right party when it comes to membership. As of 2023, the party had around 11,300 members whilst the NPD, the second-largest party, had 2,800 members. A 2024 survey found that 78 percent of respondents saw the AfD as on the right-wing extremist fringe rather than a normal democratic party. In 2022, it was ruled that the BfV (German domestic intelligence services) could monitor the party because it was classed as a suspected right-wing extremist group. The youth division of the party, known as Junge Alternative für Deutschland, has been placed under even more intense surveillance, which even includes phone tapping and undercover operations because it was deemed a right-wing extremist group.
It is difficult to predict how the political landscape in Germany will develop. The country’s history means that laws are particularly focused on protecting democracy and preventing right-wing groups from threatening the liberties of people. At the same time, having a democratic system means that people are entitled to have their own opinion and vote for a party that they believe represents their opinions. This could mean that the AfD and similar right-wing parties will have a noticeable presence in the German political landscape until such as time as people stop agreeing with their political rhetoric.
![Do you largely or fully agree with the following statements [on national sentiment and chauvinism in Germany]¹?](https://cdn.statcdn.com/Statistic/955000/958804-blank-100.png)
