Anti-immigration politics contribute to racism in Germany DW 10/08/2025

"The ongoing political focus on migration in Germany could have spillover effects. Decades of progress in making the country more inclusive of Black people could be rolled back, Tahir Della, of the rights organization Initiative of Black People in Germany, told DW. "We already notice that, especially when there are debates related to migration, the presence of Black people and people of African descent in Germany is called into question," Della said."

"Germany, the European Union's most-populous country, has had the bloc's biggest reported increase in anti-Black racial discrimination, according to the 2023 "Being Black in the EU" report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. Since that EUFRA report, Germany has had a change in government following the 2025 federal elections, in which the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, known for its anti-immigration stance, had the second-largest share of the vote. The economy of Europe's industrial powerhouse has been struggling since the coronavirus pandemic."

"Economically, immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, who accounted for most of the Black people included in the EUFRA survey, are worse off than other groups in Germany. Their unemployment rate is just over 16%, which is more than triple that of German citizens, and two percentage points higher than the rate for immigrants overall. On average, sub-Saharan African immigrants also earn less."

Political focus on migration in Germany risks rolling back decades of progress toward inclusion of Black people. Debates on migration have led to questioning the presence of Black people and people of African descent. Germany recorded the EU's largest reported increase in anti-Black racial discrimination in the 2023 EU Agency for Fundamental Rights report. The 2025 federal elections brought gains for the far-right Alternative for Germany amid economic stagnation following the coronavirus pandemic. Immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa face higher unemployment—just over 16%—and lower average earnings than other groups. Benin-born Arnaud de Souza works ten years as a nursing assistant in Berlin, earning 3,100 euros monthly before taxes, slightly below 3,363 euros.

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