The world of social media is glamorous and fast-paced: those who stand out rise to the top with their ballrooms, space rockets and chainsaws and grab the spotlight.
Researchers in Germany’s “Mitte Studie” (“Centre Study”), however, turn their attention from shining personalities and the margins to examining those who form the backbone of a democratic and open society, and their attitudes towards right-wing extremism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.
This study is conducted annually since 2006 Friedrich Ebert Foundationwhich is linked to the centre-left Social Democrats, intended to act as an early warning system for undemocratic developments.
A large team of researchers conducted extensive interviews with 2,000 people in Germany. The sample represents different sections of German society in terms of voting behaviour, education, income and origin.
The results presented this week were contradictory, yet revealing.
Far right ideology has lost support
Nearly 80% of respondents said they were strongly committed to democracy, up 6% from four years earlier.
Contrary to all expectations and despite the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, support for direct right-wing extremism is declining in Germany: only 3% of respondents have a strongly right-wing extremist worldview – significantly lower than in the past.
“The center has become more stable. It has slowed down support for right-wing extremism,” Andreas Zick, director of the Institute for Conflict and Violence Research at Bielefeld University, told DW.
A large portion of society views democracy and diversity positively: 70% of those surveyed say they see the rise of right-wing extremism as a threat, although the number of individuals with a solidly extremist worldview has actually declined. More than 50% of respondents said they would be willing to take action against right-wing extremism.
Contrary to popular belief that more people in East Germany hold right-wing extremist views than in the west of the country, slightly more respondents in the west of the republic have what researchers have called a closed right-wing extremist worldview. Such a worldview is defined not just by misanthropic or undemocratic views on individual issues, but by an entire worldview that is shaped by them.
However, xenophobia is more widespread in the East than in the West. And while 88% of respondents across the country said respect and equality for all should be the top priority in any democracy, 25% said minorities are given too much attention. About 11% of all respondents strongly rejected the notion that minorities are entitled to fundamental rights.
About 30% admitted to having a negative attitude towards asylum seekers, and 36% said the same about the long-term unemployed.
Right-wing extremism is more prevalent among youth
Nearly 70% said they considered the rise of right-wing extremism a threat to Germany. Also, 22% said they believe the problem is being “hyped up” by the media.
Many people clearly do not distance themselves from right-wing extremist views. 20% of those surveyed neither agree with nor explicitly reject right-wing extremist views. Only 6.6% of those surveyed categorically rejected all 18 questions on right-wing extremism – fewer people than ever before.
Right-wing extremism is significantly more prevalent among young people than among older people. According to studies, the younger the person, the more pronounced the disease.
“We are seeing that clear right-wing extremist ideas are being adopted from Nazi ideology, such as support for dictatorship, anti-Semitism or a desire for a strong sense of national identity,” researcher Nico Mokros told DW. He is co-editor of the Mitte Study and specializes in researching extremist attitudes among young people.
What Mokros finds particularly noteworthy is that the younger age group appears to have a strong tendency toward authoritarianism.
At the same time, youth say they are dissatisfied with others making decisions for them. “This often leads to pent-up aggression, which manifests in young people who offend minorities.” Frustrated youth then seek out a group within the population that is already marginalized and target them with their aggression.
More people are openly embracing nationalism and chauvinism, which requires an aggressive emphasis on German interests. For example, 23% said they agreed with the statement: “The primary goal of German politics should be to secure for Germany the power and prestige it deserves.” About one in six people (15%) support dictatorship: “We should have a leader who rules Germany with a strong hand for the benefit of everyone.”
Researcher Andreas Zick warns of a worrying decline in trust in institutions.
“When people feel that right-wing extremism is a threat and not enough is being done about it, the proportion who do not believe in the functioning of democracy increases. This opens the door to distrust, and that is the point at which extremists and populists say: We have the solution,” Zick warned.
This article was originally written in German.
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