Far-Right Extremism Considered Biggest Threat to Democracy in Germany
Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said they consider far-right extremism to be the biggest threat to democracy in the country.
Continuing Challenge
“Right-wing extremism remains a continuing challenge as it is the greatest extremist threat to the basic democratic order,” Faeser said as she presented an annual report on extremism in Germany to reporters in Berlin.
Rising Numbers
“In 2022, the number of crimes with a right-wing extremist background rose by 3.8% to around 21,000. In addition, the potential right-wing extremist willing to use violence has risen again by 500 to over 14,000. We must never underestimate the deadly danger of right-wing extremism and right-wing terrorism,” she said.
Sharp Increase
The report by the Federal Office for Protecting the Constitution said the number of people assigned to the right-wing extremist spectrum rose 14.5% to 38,800, compared to the previous year.
Inclusion of AfD
One of the reasons for the sharp increase is that the agency now includes members of the far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD). It is being observed as a suspected case.
Deadly Far-Right Killings
Germany has been rocked by a series of deadly far-right killings in recent years. Among them is the murder of a regional politician by a suspected neo-Nazi; an attack on a synagogue in the east German city of Halle and the fatal shooting of nine people with migrant backgrounds in the south German city of Hanau.
Overall, it is clear that far-right extremism is a growing concern in Germany and must be addressed through continued efforts to combat hate and promote tolerance and inclusion.
