Politically motivated crimes in Germany have reached an all-time high, prompting the Interior Ministry to propose a range of new measures to address the escalating threat. According to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, the number of such offences rose by 40% in 2024 compared to the previous year — the largest increase since records began in 2001.
Speaking on Tuesday, Dobrindt linked the surge to heightened tensions stemming from the Israel-Hamas war and the country’s federal elections held in February. German authorities recorded more than 84,000 politically motivated crimes last year, with a significant rise across nearly all categories.
Dobrindt highlighted antisemitism and extremism as the most serious threats to German democracy. He noted that just over half of all offences were linked to right-wing extremism, including neo-Nazi activities.
Authorities recorded 6,236 cases with suspected antisemitic motives — a 21% increase from the previous year. This includes 2,832 incidents categorized under the themes of “Israel” and “Palestine”, many of which were linked to demonstrations and protests over the war in Gaza.
The ministry reported that 793 politically motivated violent crimes occurred in connection with the Middle East conflict, reflecting the growing influence of international events on domestic tensions.
