Concern has increased about radicalization among Muslims in Germany—particularly within the younger generation—following the publication of research funded by three federal ministries.
The MOTRA network—which has been monitoring extremism and radicalization processes since 2019—released its 2024/2025 monitor, which spans nearly 600 pages. The report indicates that younger Muslims appear more susceptible to Islamist and antisemitic attitudes than older generations.
According to MOTRA, while the average age of the German population is around 44, the Muslim average is significantly lower at about 32. This means that roughly 2.5 to 3.5 million Muslims in Germany are between the ages of 18 and 40.
The report states that 11.5% of Muslims under 40 hold manifestly Islamist views, while 33.6% display latent Islamist-related attitudes. Combined, this means that about 45.1% of Muslims in this age group may hold either open or concealed Islamist-related positions. In addition, 29.1% of respondents in this younger group expressed manifest antisemitic attitudes.
The study also found that 23.8% of Muslim respondents consider an Islamic state to be the best form of government, while 25.1% believe the rules of the Quran should take precedence over German law.
The October 7th, 2023 Hamas terror pogrom against Israel and subsequent Gaza war contributed to increased tensions and may have fueled the radicalization process.
Meanwhile, many Jewish communities in Germany report growing fears for their safety. Some families advise their children not to reveal their Jewish identity at school, while others avoid displaying symbols such as the Star of David in public.
