(MENAFN) Far-right ideology, once largely confined to the fringes of German politics, is increasingly taking root in the mainstream, raising concerns among experts about threats to the country’s democratic foundations.

Recent results from the long-term Die Mitte study indicate that one in five Germans who consider themselves part of the political center no longer outright reject statements associated with far-right beliefs. Researchers say this represents the most pronounced normalization of such views in over a decade.

“We clearly observe that in the center of society – what we define as the democratic center – right-wing extremist sentiments, pictures, images, and worldviews are being shared increasingly,” said Andreas Zick, a lead author of the study. He highlighted that support for aggressive nationalism and chauvinism has reached 20%, while the far-right notion that German identity is tied to blood and ancestry is spreading beyond extremist circles.

The study, conducted through 2024 and 2025, points to a disturbing rise in xenophobic and illiberal attitudes even among citizens who do not support extremist parties. Researchers found increasing prejudice against immigrants, declining trust in democratic institutions, and growing sympathy for authoritarian solutions.

Trust in democracy appears to be eroding. Overall confidence in democratic institutions rose from 14.3% in 2020-2021 to 21.5% in 2024-2025, while doubts about election legitimacy more than tripled, from 5.8% to 18.2%. “This is a warning signal that trust is decreasing and it goes hand in hand with the agreement to right-wing extremist attitudes,” said Beate Kupper, another lead author. She cited policy failures, perceptions of political elites ignoring ordinary citizens, and the appeal of populist narratives as key drivers.

Younger Germans show particularly significant shifts. Among 18-34-year-olds, 12.5% openly support xenophobic views—more than double the level among middle-aged adults and nearly twice that of older generations. Zick attributed this to the impact of COVID, economic insecurity, housing shortages, and the role of social media in shaping political attitudes. He noted that far-right movements and populists have invested heavily in online platforms to disseminate emotionally charged messages.

The surge in extremist content has reshaped youth political engagement. In February 2025, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved its strongest national result at 20.8%, and current polls place it at 26%, ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc and dominant in several eastern regions.

The study also revealed that about 30% of Germans now view the AfD as a normal political party, although two-thirds remain concerned about rising right-wing extremism. Germany’s domestic intelligence service formally classified the AfD as a “proven extremist group” in May, citing threats to the democratic constitutional order. The party’s platform emphasizes exclusionary ethnic definitions of German identity and advocates for “remigration” policies targeting immigrants.

Kupper warned that conservative parties should avoid cooperating with the AfD, stressing that mainstream alignment legitimizes extremist groups and often shifts the broader political spectrum rightward. “We must be aware of right-wing extremism, taking it really serious as a threat to democracy and society,” she said, emphasizing lessons from Germany’s history.

This study underscores growing concerns that far-right ideologies are no longer marginal in Germany but are increasingly influencing mainstream political discourse and attitudes.

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