Racism in Germany persists despite a slight decline, according to new studies, highlighting ongoing xenophobic views and everyday discrimination.
A recent survey by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (Dezim) shows that racism and discrimination in Germany are on a slight decline compared to previous years, but remain widespread.
The study, conducted from October 2025 through January 2026, involved approximately 8,200 people aged 18 to 74. It found that 25% of respondents believe in the existence of racial differences, a concept refuted by science, and nearly half think certain groups are inherently more hardworking than others.
Expert Insights on Modern Racism
Tae Jun Kim, a sociologist and co-author of the study, noted that racist views are now expressed more subtly in society. He described modern racism as "a more polite way of justifying existing hierarchies and subordination among groups."
Ferda Ataman, Germany's federal anti-discrimination commissioner, highlighted real-life examples of direct discrimination. In one case, a Black woman named Sarah was searched without reason in a supermarket, with the employee citing stereotypes as justification.
Ataman's separate study revealed that one in eight people in Germany experienced discrimination in 2022, affecting about 9 million individuals. The most common basis was ethnic heritage or race, cited by 42% of those affected, followed by gender at 24%.
Discrimination often occurs in everyday settings like work, school, and shopping. Despite laws such as the General Equal Treatment Act, more than half of victims do not take action, with only 3% pursuing legal recourse.
Ataman pointed out that Germany lags in anti-discrimination efforts compared to countries like Belgium and those in Scandinavia, where better legal protections exist. She advocates for expanding protected traits under German law to include nationality.
