For the first time, the Federal Government Commissioner for Integration presented a status report on racism in Germany.

"This is a first," said Reem Alabali-Radovan.

The integration commissioner, who is also the commissioner for anti-racism, emphasized three findings: First, the population in Germany knows that racism exists and that it must be fought.

Tobias Schrors

political editor.

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Second, those affected needed more support.

And thirdly, anti-racism is “systemically relevant to our democracy”.

Alabali-Radovan said it has seldom been more important than today to work together to fight the beginnings.

This is shown by around 22,000 attacks from the right every year as well as drastic events such as the NSU murder series and the attacks in Halle and Hanau.

Furthermore, the debate about New Year's Eve showed "that in 2023, unfortunately, we will not be able to discuss such topics in our immigration country without serving up racist resentments".

Perpetrators should be judged by their actions, not by their first names.

First and second class citizens?

She was referring to a request from the CDU parliamentary group in the Berlin House of Representatives.

The CDU wants to know the first names of the German suspects from New Year's Eve.

"That divides people into first-class and second-class citizens," Alabali-Radovan said.

"I find it very frightening that the Union is now using this debate and stigmatizing people, further fueling racist resentment." That divides society.

The report essentially describes the initial situation on the basis of existing studies and names fields of action and measures.

The SPD politician Alabali-Radovan said that racism is not just about violence and crime, but also about everyday racism and structural racism.

Consciously or unconsciously, he can be involved in routine actions, at work, when applying for a flat, at school.

She recalled a study by the University of Mannheim from 2018, according to which elementary school children with a Turkish name in the subject German were graded worse by prospective teachers with the same performance.

She also referred to surveys on so-called racial profiling and announced a round table with the Federal Police and the Ministry of the Interior.

Victim initiatives should be strengthened

Alabali-Radovan also announced that it would promote low-threshold "community-based counseling" in migrant organizations by training so-called anti-racism counselors and allowing them to work full-time.

Four million euros a year are planned for the expansion of the advisory structures.

In addition, victim initiatives are to be strengthened and an expert council on anti-racism is to be created.

Another project of Alabali-Radovan is to empower local decision-makers who are committed to fighting racism.

The integration commissioner places particular hope in the promotion of prevention in sports clubs, which are "important allies" for her.