Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's domestic intelligence reports record growth in right-wing extremism among young people

The report highlights a demographic shift within the movement. Officials estimate that around 400 people in the scene are now between 14 and 24 years old, and the share of right-wing extremists under the age of 30 grew by five percentage points between 2023 and 2025. Pegel described the trend in stark terms. "Der Rechtsextremismus bleibt die größte Bedrohung für die Demokratie in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern," he said, adding: "Besonders auffällig sei, dass immer mehr junge Menschen dazukämen."

Recruitment through memes, music, and chat groups

Beate Bube, president of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, said the agency has been tracking this development for some time. "Wir beobachten seit einiger Zeit, dass die rechtsextremistische Szene immer mehr Jugendliche anzieht und sich auch neue Gruppierungen mit entsprechender Ideologie gründen," Bube said. The agency attributes the overall right-wing extremist population of roughly 3,140 people to that scene in the wider classification, which includes affiliated structures and sympathizers beyond the core 2,030.

Digital outreach is central to that recruitment. The constitutional protection report states that extremists use social networks, messenger services, music, short videos, memes, and closed chat groups to specifically target young people. Officials also note a growing overlap between right-wing extremism, martial arts and combat sports, and the hooligan scene, a combination they say makes parts of the milieu more dangerous.

Reichsbürger, left-wing scene, and Islamism

Pegel warned that the trend is putting pressure on schools and teachers. "Dadurch stehen Lehrkräfte und Schulen vor immer größeren Herausforderungen, wenn es darum geht, extremistischen Tendenzen frühzeitig zu begegnen," he said. The state's response includes the campaign "Wählen – aber sicher," announced in connection with the state election scheduled for September 20, which is intended to raise awareness of intimidation and manipulation around the ballot.

Beyond right-wing extremism, the report documents other movements. The number of "Reichsbürger" and "Selbstverwalter," Germans who reject the legitimacy of the Federal Republic, rose to an estimated 780, up from around 690 in 2024. About 19 percent of that scene is classified as violence-oriented, and roughly 27 percent belong to organized groups or associations. The organization "Großherzogtum Friedrich Maik," which since 2025 has claimed not only the former Grand Duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz but also the Duchy of Pomerania and Prussia within the 1918 borders as its claimed territory, has about 100 members.

Election and societal response

The left-wing extremist scene remained largely stable at around 450 people, compared with 440 the year before. The ideologically oriented youth group Rote Jugend Rostock, which has a communist orientation, has gained significance, according to the report. In the Islamist camp, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution counts approximately 200 people, up from 180 the previous year, and notes that almost all of them, around 190, are Salafists. Regional focal points of the Islamist scene in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are Güstrow and Rostock.

In a separate assessment, the Baden-Württemberg state office for the protection of the constitution reported a five-percentage-point rise in the share of under-30 right-wing extremists in that state between 2023 and 2025, with about 400 people in the local scene aged 14 to 24, indicating that the youth recruitment trend is not limited to the northeast. The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern report also identifies Russia as an important actor in the context of hybrid threats and lists several military and research sites, including the Marinearsenal in Rostock, the air base in Laage, the Marinetechnikschule Parow, and Flugabwehrgruppe 24 in Bad Sülze, as objects considered at risk of espionage.

Pegel framed the findings as a task for society as a whole, not only for the security services. "Hier sind nicht nur die Sicherheitsbehörden gefragt, sondern auch die Politik und wir alle, als Gesellschaft," he said. The state election on September 20 is set against this backdrop, with officials urging voters, schools, and civil society groups to remain alert to efforts by extremists to use modern music, party-like formats, and online platforms to draw in adolescents.