The number of far-right crimes in Germany reached a new record high last year. According to the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, a widespread threat is emerging that severely endangers the democratic order and social peace. Society’s response to right-wing violence remains largely inadequate — with serious consequences for public security.

Far-right crimes reach a new peak
The number of right-wing motivated crimes in Germany has once again hit a record level. A total of 42,788 offenses were registered in 2024 — an increase of nearly 48% compared to 2023. These included more than 1,477 acts of violence, up over 17%, such as assaults, arson, and attempted killings.

Right-wing extremism: The greatest threat to internal security
“The real threat posed by right-wing extremists is greater than ever — and it especially affects young people, minorities, and activists,” said Timo Reinfrank, Managing Director of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation. “For months, political debates around internal security in Germany have focused almost exclusively on migration, including coalition negotiations. This, despite the fact that for years, successive interior ministers have emphasized that right-wing extremism is the greatest threat to internal security when presenting annual reports on politically motivated crime.”

“Omnipresent hate has become an accelerant, and disinformation the fuel. Under the wing of the AfD, perpetrators feel emboldened to enforce their extremist ideologies with violence. When politicians are beaten simply for hanging posters, we can no longer talk about isolated incidents — this is right-wing street terror. These numbers aren’t just abstract statistics — they represent the real suffering of real people. Right-wing violence is a bitter, everyday reality, and yet the necessary response from state authorities often falls short,” Reinfrank continued.

Youth radicalization: Far-right networks gaining ground
Particularly alarming is the increasing radicalization of young subcultures, forming in online spaces, martial arts circles, or via far-right influencer networks. Increasingly, attacks are specifically targeting other young people who are civically engaged or perceived as “different” due to their skin color, religion, sexual orientation, or political views. In several cities, events like Christopher Street Days (CSDs) had to be canceled or heavily restricted due to fears of attacks. Youth centers in several regions were subjected to organized violent assaults resembling sieges.

Call for a national action plan
At the same time, victims continue to experience retraumatization due to bureaucratic hurdles, lack of recognition, and inadequate support. The Amadeu Antonio Foundation is urging the new federal government to take decisive action against right-wing violence. A bill to combat digital violence, promised in the coalition agreement, is an important step in offering better protection and legal recourse for victims of hate and online attacks. But this is not enough when violent excesses are occurring on the ground.

The Amadeu Antonio Foundation calls for:

• A cross-ministerial national action plan against right-wing violence, and the expansion of prevention work that addresses new forms of “patchwork extremism” and diverse radicalization pathways,

• Binding protection plans for civic activists and vulnerable minorities,

• A reform of the victim compensation law.

“Where civic activists are threatened, democratic engagement is at risk of disappearing. Funding is cut, people withdraw — and that’s exactly what a democratic society must not allow. If we want to protect democratic pluralism, we must secure it — legally, politically, and financially,” Reinfrank concluded.
“The Merz government must take a strong stance against the normalization and brutalization that fuel far-right narratives and electoral success. The time for vague rhetoric is over.”