Germany's domestic intelligence agency has warned that the number of far-right extremists in the country has risen to 60,000, a figure that underscores a deepening security crisis. The report, published by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), highlights a surge in radicalisation, particularly among anti-migrant and anti-government groups. The BfV noted that nearly a third of these extremists are considered potentially violent, with access to weapons and a willingness to use them.
This comes as Germany grapples with a series of far-right attacks, including a 2020 assault on a synagogue in Halle and the murder of a pro-immigration politician in 2019. The intelligence agency warned that the far-right scene is increasingly organised, with online networks and paramilitary training camps operating across the country. Critics argue that the government has not done enough to tackle the root causes of far-right extremism, including economic inequality and social division.
The BfV's report comes amid a broader European trend of rising right-wing populism, with parties in Sweden, Italy, and France making gains. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has seen its support grow, particularly in the former East, where unemployment and housing costs remain high. The BfV's warning is a stark reminder that the far-right threat is not just a security issue but a symptom of deeper societal fractures that need urgent attention.
