Constitutional Protection Report 2025: Extremism in Germany Reaches New All-Time High

In the right-wing extremist area, the BfV puts the potential at around 58,700 supporters, which corresponds to an increase of more than 8,000 people compared to the previous year (50,250). Of these, 15,600 are classified as willing to use violence, slightly more than in 2024 (15,300). The majority of these right-wing extremists are assigned by the constitutional protectors to the AfD, which in October 2025, according to its own figures, had 70,000 members. Around 28,000 AfD supporters are attributed to the right-wing extremist scene according to the BfV; the party is monitored by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a suspected case of anti-constitutional efforts. A court had initially overturned in expedited proceedings the upgrade made the previous year to a "confirmed right-wing extremist" suspected case; the main proceedings are ongoing.

Right-Wing Extremism Grows Primarily with the AfD

As examples of rejuvenation, networking, and action-orientation, the report cites the right-wing terrorist group "Letzte Verteidigungs Welle," which wants to bring about the collapse of the democratic system through arson and bombing attacks on asylum accommodations and facilities of left-wing party organizations, as well as the virtual networking in the "Brenton Fanclub." Dobrindt warned that the right-wing extremist scene is working "systematically on the radicalization of the next generation" and is transferring its ideals to young people early on at family celebrations, cultural events, and children's and youth activities. The Austrian broadcaster "AUF1," which also operates a studio in Germany, was classified in February 2026 as a confirmed right-wing extremist endeavor.

The left-wing extremist personnel potential also grew significantly to around 42,200 people, 4,200 more than in the previous year. The number of violence-oriented left-wing extremists reached a new all-time high of 11,600 (2024: 11,200). The report records a sharp increase in left-wing acts of violence, particularly against suspected right-wing extremists and police officers, and highlights the network "Antifa-Ost" as a key actor.

Left-Wing Extremism: Number of Violent Offenders at Record Level

Dobrindt described the "devastating arson attacks on the Berlin power supply in January as well as the long-standing series of attacks in Munich and the surrounding area" as evidence of the "perfidious approach of violence-ready left-wing extremists." In September 2025 and January 2026, left-wing extremists set fire to two high-voltage pylons in Berlin as well as a cable bridge; the attack in January triggered a multi-day power outage. In 2025, 22 vehicles of the Munich police were also attacked.

The scene of "Reichsbürger and Selbstverwalter" (Reich citizens and self-administrators) still comprises around 26,000 people nationwide, of whom around 2,600 are considered violence-oriented. A little more than five percent are classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as belonging to the right-wing extremist spectrum. The boundaries between Reichsbürger and the right-wing extremist scene have become more fluid, making clear classification more difficult.

Reichsbürger, Antisemitism, and the Consequences of the Middle East Conflict

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution continues to see right-wing extremism as the greatest threat to democracy in Germany. The topics of asylum and migration remained the focus of right-wing extremist agitation. Nationwide, the police registered 8,725 anti-Semitic incidents last year involving insults, graffiti, and attacks on Jewish people. Anti-Semitic incidents occurred regularly, according to Dobrindt, "bei Demonstrationen im Zusammenhang mit dem Nahostkonflikt." The report identifies anti-Semitism as one of the central challenges, especially since hostility toward Israel and anti-Semitism have increasingly led to solidarity across individual extremist scenes since the Hamas terror attacks of 2023 and the subsequent Gaza war.

In the Islamist spectrum, the report describes the danger of terrorist attacks as "konstant hoch"; the Islamic State (IS), al-Qaeda, and affiliated organizations continue to attempt attacks, and the IS offshoot ISPK has, among other things, threatened Oktoberfest. The perpetrators are becoming younger, sometimes under 14 years of age and thus below the age of criminal responsibility, and are radicalized online. Supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah have "mit öffentlichkeitswirksamen Handlungen weitestgehend zurückgehalten." Actors from secular pro-Palestinian extremism assume "eine Scharnierfunktion zwischen deutschen und türkischen Linksextremisten, türkischen Rechtsextremisten sowie zur hiesigen islamistischen Szene."

Russia, Islamism, and the Reform Debate

Also central to the report are the effects of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The dangers from espionage, sabotage, disinformation, and influence operations have been "anhaltend hoch" since the start of the war. Russia has been investing "seit Jahren signifikant" in illegitimate influence on public opinion in Germany, particularly at the political fringes, and uses trips by German politicians propagandistically, also through assumed travel and accommodation costs as well as exclusive meetings with high-ranking Russian politicians. Russian state-controlled sabotage is designed not to be recognizable: "Teil der Strategie ist es, Verunsicherung hinsichtlich hybrider Aktionen Russlands zu schüren sowie von einer aufgeregten öffentlichen Debatte zu profitieren."

Politically motivated crime reached 85,837 offenses according to the BKA, an increase of two percent. The number of right-wing extremist violent crimes rose by 8.9 percent compared to the previous year. A spokesperson for the federal government stated on Monday that the responsible institutions were examining "inwieweit solche Bedrohungen voraussehbar" seien. Behind the scenes, the Interior Ministry is, according to Dobrindt, working on a comprehensive reform of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution into a "echten Geheimdienst" with expanded powers, which has however not yet been implemented. Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) warned on the ARD program "Bericht aus Berlin" that an AfD Interior Minister would be a "Sicherheitsrisiko," since information about right-wing extremists or Russian espionage could leak out.

Constitutional Protection President Seelen and Minister Dobrindt emphasized that the report should be understood as a warning signal. Democratic institutions must prepare for a growing, younger, and more networked extremist scene, while at the same time foreign actors such as Russia are attempting to destabilize public debate.