Key facts
- Right-wing extremists in Germany increased to 58,700 in the past year.
- The number of right-wing extremists with a propensity for violence is estimated at 5,600.
- The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party's membership has grown significantly.
- The BfV continues to classify the AfD as a 'suspected extremist organisation'.
- Left-wing extremism saw an increase of 4,200 individuals, reaching 42,200.
- Islamist extremism numbers rose slightly to 28,645.
Right-wing extremists pose the most significant threat to German democracy, with their numbers surging to 58,700 last year, an increase of over 8,000 from the previous year, according to Germany's domestic intelligence service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV).
Sinan Selen, head of the BfV, stated that German democracy is under "practically permanent attack" from both internal and external forces, with intelligence activities primarily originating from Russia, China, and Iran. Of the identified right-wing extremists, an estimated 5,600 possess a propensity for violence.
The BfV attributes the growth in right-wing extremism largely to the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, whose membership reached 70,000 in 2025. The agency continues to list the AfD as a "suspected extremist organisation," noting that the expanding membership likely corresponds with an increased pool of individuals holding extremist leanings within the party. Narratives such as "population exchange" and the "Great Replacement" are frequently adopted by the AfD and other right-wing groups.
The report also highlighted that right-wing groups are increasingly focusing on influencing children and young people, with recruitment efforts at far-right music shows reaching a record high last year. Approximately 26,000 individuals were identified within the "Reichsbürger" (Reich Citizens) and "Selbstverwalter" (self-administrator) groups, who do not recognize the Federal Republic of Germany and reject its constitution and laws.
In addition to the rise in right-wing extremism, the report noted a significant increase in left-wing extremism, with the number of individuals involved growing by 4,200 to 42,200. Violence against suspected right-wing extremists and police officers also saw a notable rise. The number of individuals involved in Islamism or "Islamist terrorism" increased slightly to 28,645.