AfD Politicians Most Targeted in German Political Attacks in 2025
Quick Look
- In 2025, nearly two-thirds of violent attacks against politicians in Germany targeted members of the AfD party, with the party also being the most frequent target of non-violent offenses.
- Left-wing suspects were reportedly behind 60% of violent politically-motivated crimes.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Government data reveals that in 2025, nearly two-thirds of violent attacks against politicians in Germany targeted members of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The AfD was also the most frequent target of non-violent politically motivated offenses, with over 1,800 crimes recorded against the party in total.
Almost two out of three violent attacks against politicians in Germany in 2025 targeted members of Alternative for Germany (AfD), government data shows. An MP from the right-wing party blamed the development on what he called a years-long defamation campaign.
AfD politicians were targets in a total of 121 such cases last year, almost twice as many as all other major German political parties combined, the federal government said in a response to a parliamentary inquiry by AfD MP Martin Hess. The party was also the most frequent target of non-violent politically motivated offenses, the data suggested. The total number of crimes committed against the AfD in 2025 surpassed 1,800.
Some 60% of violent politically-motivated crimes were committed by “left-wing” suspects, Nius media outlet reported, citing the police data provided by the government. Only 11% of offenses were reportedly attributed to right-wing suspects.
The police also recorded 1,171 crimes against Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), making it the second most targeted party when it comes to politically motivated offenses, according to dpa. The number of crimes against the CDU more than doubled in comparison to 2024, when there were just 420, data shows. However, only 12 were violent, Nius reported.
Hess, the MP and a former police officer, blamed the “unacceptable development” on what he called a targeted effort to discredit his party. “Those who constantly defame, delegitimize and dehumanize the AfD and its supporters shouldn’t be surprised when enemies of democracy see in this a call to violence,” he said. The government maintained it saw no indication that the attacks on the AfD were “systematically planned,” according to Nius.
Open Questions
- What specific actions are being taken by the German government to address the rise in political violence?
- What is the specific nature of the 'defamation campaign' alleged by the AfD MP?
- Are there any ongoing investigations into the perpetrators of these attacks?
- What is the breakdown of specific types of non-violent offenses against political parties?
