A sharp increase in extreme right-wing mentality in German society finds research on the “Far Center” conducted by the “Friedrich Ebert” Foundation. Rates of “extreme right-wing worldview” are also particularly high among people who identify themselves as “left”.

According to research by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, which is affiliated with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), 8% of citizens embrace “extreme right-wing worldviews”. The corresponding figure, in the 2019 and 2021 surveys, was only 2-3%, pointed out the Foundation’s president and former SPD leader, Martin Schulz.

Among those who describe themselves as “leftists”, the percentage rises to 12% and to 7% among “centrists”.

The current survey also shows an increase in all individual indicators of extreme behaviour: downplaying Nazi crimes, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, even Darwinian views of distinctions between “precious” and “unworthy” life.

In the same poll, 6% are directly in favor of a dictatorships, with only one party and a strong leader, 38% support conspiracy theories, 16% express a negative view of foreigners, while 34% estimate that refugees come to Germany only to benefit from its welfare system.

Regarding political self-determination, 15.5% stated that they placed themselves “to the right” or “right” of the center. In the two previous surveys, this percentage reached 10%.

“Anti-democratic views are on the rise. Sections of average society are moving away from democracy or have lost confidence in functioning institutions. Populism is getting stronger,” Mr. Schultz warned, presenting the results of the survey.

At the same time, trust in institutions has dropped below 60%. “These results are not only frightening, but also call for consistent action – by politicians, but also by society itself. Rightfully so the people are asking for a strong, efficient and functional state. But the democratic center is also called upon to distance itself clearly from inhumane behaviors”added Martin Schulz.