How are immigrants destroying German democracy?
Author: Fayaz Bahraman Najimi, regional and international affairs analyst, member of the Sangar Advisory Board
The published images belong to a man named Farhad Nouri. The assailant, who drove his car into a peaceful demonstration of members of the Verdi trade union, injured 37 people and killed a young mother and her small child.
However, German authorities and media have not revealed his full name or published his photo. He is said to be 24 years old, but like many migrants who have arrived in Germany since 2013, he may have understated his real age.
Investigation showed that this man was a radical Islamist who had received a residence permit in Germany and worked as a security guard in a store. People may know him or have information about his past, but his actions have sparked a wave of public hatred against Afghan immigrants in Germany.
Earlier, German media reported on a bloody and large-scale clash between 30 young Afghans in the central square of Limburg, in the German province of Hesse, on January 31.
As a result of the clash, during which knives and other bladed weapons were used, more than 15 people were injured, and the police were forced to deploy ground and air forces to control the situation.
Moreover, just a day before the terrorist attack in Munich, German media reported on the start of the trial of an Afghan immigrant who in 2024 killed a police officer and wounded five others in an armed attack.
Years ago, Thilo Sarrazin, a controversial politician from Germany's Social Democratic Party, took a sharply anti-Muslim stance in his book Germany. Self-Destruction, but at the time, he called Afghans, Iraqis, and Iranians exceptions. He believed that Germany needed immigrants such as Afghans and Iranians since most were educated. This view was probably influenced by the composition of Afghan immigrants in the 1990s and early 2000s. Most were former members of the People's Democratic Party and had a high education.
However, with the increasing influx of young Afghan and Syrian refugees after 2013, the social composition of German society has changed. The vast majority of Afghan refugees were either uneducated or poorly educated but were deeply religious. Based on my work experience, their greatest concerns were issues of religion and unbelief, sexism, and cultural crisis. Xenophobic, Islamophobic, and minority-based attitudes made most German citizens, especially women, feel unsafe. Since the German police are faced with many problems in ensuring public safety and are not able to fully control the situation, dissatisfied people want the restoration of the German order.
This same climate of discontent has led to a shift in some parts of German society toward far-right parties. They call for replacing liberal and multicultural policies with stricter laws to restore order and security on the one hand and expel unnecessary refugees on the other. The liberal German media are trying to downplay public support for the Alternative for Germany (AfD). However, recent terrorist attacks, combined with direct US interference in the German elections, have increased the AfD's chances of winning the upcoming elections.
To sum up:
Recent events in Germany show that the country's immigration and security policies are facing serious challenges. On the one hand, terrorist attacks and violence provoked by some immigrants have increased the atmosphere of mistrust and social tension, while on the other hand, the harsh reaction of right-wing parties has affected the future of German domestic politics.
Although the German government is trying to balance immigration and domestic security policies, the rise of immigrant-related violence has led to public opinion shifting towards stricter measures. Meanwhile, the growing popularity of far-right parties such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) poses a serious challenge to the country's multicultural policies and democratic values.
Germany appears to be facing a difficult choice. The choice between maintaining current immigration policies or moving towards stricter laws could have far-reaching social and political consequences.
