According to a study, around 90 percent of Germans believe that racism exists in Germany.

At the same time, around 70 percent of those surveyed are prepared to oppose this, for example at a demonstration or a signature campaign, according to the first national discrimination and racism monitor published by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) on Thursday.

In 2020, the Bundestag decided on nationwide discrimination and racism monitoring, which DeZIM was commissioned with.

The aim is to lay the foundation for permanent monitoring of racism in Germany.

For the initial study, scientists interviewed around 5,000 people from April to August 2021.

In the future, there will be a management report every two years.

According to the study, 65 percent stated that there was racial discrimination in public authorities.

45 percent of those surveyed described criticism of racism as exaggerated or as a restriction of freedom of expression in the sense of "political correctness".

Some who complain about racism are also "overly sensitive", explained 33 percent of those surveyed, or too "anxious" (52 percent).

According to the study, almost half of the people in Germany (49 percent) still believe in the existence of human races;

61 percent of those over 65 agreed with the statement.

The director of the DeZIM institute, Naika Foroutan, explained that racism affects all of society.

The topic occupies people emotionally, "stirres them up and won't let go of them for a long time".

Racial disadvantages are recognized particularly frequently in the areas of school, work and living.

She called on politicians to tackle the issue “offensively and in the long term”.

Federal Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens) said that the attacks in Halle and Hanau at the latest had made it clear that racism in Germany was killing people.

She named the program "Democracy Life!" as a measure to take action against racism. This would support more than 600 relevant projects and initiatives nationwide close.

The federal government's integration commissioner, Reem Alabali-Radovan (SPD), called for more efforts.

"Germany knows about its racism problem," said the Minister of State.

"For decades, racism in Germany was kept secret or even denied, and that still has an impact today." in our country."