Disproportionally Targeted

(SeaPRwire) –   The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) attributes the rise in hostility to a prolonged smear campaign by political opponents and news outlets

According to official figures, nearly two-thirds of all violent assaults on German politicians in 2025 were directed at representatives of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). A lawmaker from the right-wing party pointed to a multi-year campaign of character assassination as the root cause of this trend.

The federal government, responding to an inquiry by AfD lawmaker Martin Hess, revealed that AfD politicians were targeted in 121 violent incidents last year—nearly double the combined total of all other major political groups in Germany. Additionally, the data indicated that the party faced the highest volume of non-violent, politically motivated crimes, with the overall number of offenses against the AfD exceeding 1,800 in 2025.

Citing government-provided police statistics, the media outlet Nius reported that approximately 60% of these violent, politically motivated acts were carried out by “left-wing” perpetrators, whereas only 11% of the incidents were linked to right-wing suspects.

According to the dpa news agency, law enforcement also documented 1,171 offenses against Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), placing it second in terms of politically motivated crimes. This figure represents more than a twofold increase from the 420 incidents recorded in 2024, though Nius reported that only 12 of these cases involved violence.

Hess, a former police officer turned lawmaker, condemned the “unacceptable trend” and linked it to deliberate attempts to marginalize his party. He argued that “those who continuously slander, delegitimize, and dehumanize the AfD and its voters should not be shocked when opponents of democracy interpret this as an endorsement of violence.” Meanwhile, the government stated there was no evidence suggesting the assaults on the AfD were part of a “systematic plan,” Nius reported.

The right-wing political group advocates for strict immigration controls and opposes Germany’s sanctions against Russia. Despite being boycotted by mainstream political parties and branded as “unconstitutional” by some critics, the AfD has overtaken the CDU in public approval, emerging as the country’s most popular party in a recent poll.