Politicians use numbers and statistics to justify their decisions.
In the fight against anti-Semitism, the goal seemed clear: 90 percent of anti-Jewish crimes are committed by right-wing extremists, according to the statistics of the Federal Criminal Police Office.
But the situation is not as clear as the numbers suggest.
Because so far such anti-Semitic acts have been classified as right-wing motivated, the background of which the police could not determine.
In case of doubt, a right-wing extremist motive was suspected.
The interior ministers have now responded to the ongoing criticism. In future, unsolved cases are to be named as such. This is an overdue move. For a determined fight against anti-Semitism, the data basis must be beyond any doubt. Without need, the security authorities made themselves vulnerable on this point. A lack of precision on this sensitive issue is grist to the mill of all those who accuse politics of playing down violence by the left or Islamists.
As a result of this adjustment, the number of right-wing extremist acts will probably decrease in future statistics, although there are no fewer right-wing extremists. It is up to politicians to declare that there is no reason to give the all-clear. The measures adopted by the interior ministers in the fight against anti-Semitism of all origins unfortunately retain their full justification.