Authoritarianism Study | Fascist views are spreading

Nationalistic and reactionary instead of humanistic and social: supporters of the “Faust of the East” have nothing to do with progressive heritage. And their positions are shared by many. Photo: dpa/Arno Burgi Bertolt Brecht's play "The Stoppable Rise of Arturo Ui" is a parable about the rise of fascism in Germany, the Nazi regime's war of aggression and annihilation and the murder of European Jews. With the title "The Resistible Rise of the Authoritarian," the new edition of the Leipzig Authoritarianism Study published on Wednesday takes up Brecht's insight that the Nazi crimes did not follow an automated process.

The long-term study has been investigating the spread of right-wing radical, authoritarian and anti-democratic attitudes for 24 years. The central element from the outset is a questionnaire on extreme right-wing attitudes; the surveys take place every two years. Between complete and overwhelming rejection or agreement with specific statements, the researchers also ask about partial agreement. The current figures once again confirm the final statement of Brecht's play: "The womb from which it crawled is still fertile."

Of those surveyed, around a third in West Germany and only one in five in East Germany are satisfied with “everyday democracy”. At 33.3 percent, satisfaction reached its lowest level since the start of the long-term study. This is also reflected in a significant increase in extreme right-wing attitudes. At 6.9 percent, the proportion of respondents with a “closed right-wing extremist worldview” is higher than it has been since 2012. At that time it was 8.8 percent. The East-West difference is currently significant again: While 6.5 percent of West Germans have an extreme right-wing worldview, the figure is 8.5 percent in the East.

Racist statements in particular have become acceptable to the majority. Over 60 percent fully and latently agree with the portrayal that “foreigners” only come to Germany “to take advantage of our welfare state.” A total of 35 percent and almost half of those surveyed in the East are of the opinion that the Federal Republic is “over-inhabited to a dangerous extent by the many foreigners.” Another 24.4 percent only “partially” reject this representation.

When it comes to chauvinism, approval has also increased compared to the last survey. Almost 40 percent of those surveyed lack “the courage to have a strong national feeling,” and almost 30 percent respond with “partly-partly” statements. More than a quarter of those surveyed are in favor of “hard and energetic enforcement of German interests vis-à-vis foreign countries”, while another quarter are partly in favor of this. Another quarter of all those surveyed agreed with the following statement: “The primary goal of German politics should be to give Germany the power and prestige that it deserves.” Another quarter chose the “part-part” option.

Around 20 percent fully or partially agree with the statement that there is “valuable and unworthy life.”

In the category “Support for a right-wing authoritarian dictatorship,” the statement “In the national interest, under certain circumstances, a dictatorship is the better form of government” was fully or latently supported by 22.6 percent. 30 percent are: "We should have a leader who governs Germany with a strong hand for the benefit of everyone." Almost half of all respondents fully or partially agree with this statement: "What Germany needs now is a single strong party that embodies the national community as a whole." These are alarming values. Because terms such as dictatorship, leader and national community are unmistakable and their historical origins are known.

When it comes to agreement with anti-Semitic stories, the researchers noted “a significant increase” compared to the last survey in 2024. Around 15 percent fully or partially agreed with the statement “Even today the influence of the Jews is too great.” More than one in five do not explicitly reject this statement. Almost a third completely or partially agree with this sentence: "The Jews work more than other people with bad tricks to get what they want." 10 percent believe that "the Jews" have "something special and peculiar about them and don't really fit in with us," and another 19 percent do not want to contradict this.

Almost 30 percent fully or partially share the desire that “the stronger person should always prevail in society.” Almost as many think: “Germans are actually naturally superior to other peoples.” Around 20 percent fully or partially agree with the statement that there is “valuable and unworthy life.”

If you ask about party preference, AfD voters predictably achieve the highest values ​​on the questionnaire on right-wing extremist attitudes. BSW supporters are at the forefront when it comes to anti-Semitism and the trivialization of National Socialism.

In summary, the Leipzig scientists state that “right-wing extremist attitudes will increasingly become socially acceptable again in 2026.” The survey took place from March 16th to June 3rd and 2500 people aged 16 and over took part.

This article cost you nothing. Us: research, production and technology. We saved on office rent as well as printing and distribution. And we gave up salary. Nevertheless, the calculation doesn't work without you. We need 300,000 euros by the end of the year. You pay what you can, in return we keep writing.

No paywall, no small print, just one goal: that nd stays.