The number of right-wing extremists in Thuringia has risen to an alarming 3,300!

The number of right-wing extremists in Thuringia has risen to an alarming 3,300!

There is a worrying trend emerging in Thuringia: According to Stern, the number of right-wing extremists is increasing rapidly. The number is currently estimated at around 3,300 people, which corresponds to an increase of around 500 people compared to the previous year. Interior Minister Georg Maier warns that this development represents a serious threat to democracy. Of particular concern are the approximately 350 people who are considered to be violent.

The situation is exacerbated by an increase in right-wing extremist activity on social media and a “crisis environment,” which, according to the head of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Stephan Kramer, is leading to so-called “turbo-radicalization.” The Thuringian AfD is a key player here, as over 2,000 of its members belong to the right-wing extremist scene.

AfD on the rise

The Diethüringer also report that the AfD was the strongest faction in Thuringia in the 2023 state elections. While the party had around 1,300 members in 2022, that number has increased to around 1,650. Their political demands, such as “remigration” and the “reversal” of citizenship, show the party’s radical course.

At the same time, it is worrying that a trivialization of the Nazi era through National Socialist language can be observed within the AfD. These tendencies, characterized by populist and disinformation practices, seek to destabilize the state. While other right-wing extremist groups such as “Die Heimat” and “Der III. Weg” have seen stagnating membership numbers, the AfD remains dominant.

Critical developments in right-wing extremism

The 2024 Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution records a profound increase in right-wing extremist crimes. Verfassungsschutz.de speaks of 37,835 right-wing extremist criminal and violent crimes in 2024, which corresponds to an increase of 47.4 percent compared to the previous year. Particularly alarming is the increase in physical assault offenses and propaganda offenses, which together account for a significant proportion of recorded crimes.

The increase in violent attacks against asylum accommodation also shows that the right-wing extremist scene is positioning itself aggressively against social minorities. On top of that, there were disruptions to Christopher Street Day events, which revealed the fragility of German society.

Society is faced with the challenge of counteracting this dynamic. Initiatives to strengthen the protection of the constitution, as called for by the CDU, are a first step towards getting the dangerous development under control.