27/03/2026
On the International Week Against Racism, recent reports show that racism is deeply embedded in German society—structurally, institutionally, and in everyday life.
The InRa “Institutionen & Rassismus” study (FGZ) highlights that institutional racism is not limited to isolated cases. It operates through everyday practices and organizational cultures in institutions such as the police, judiciary, and migration and social services. Silencing these findings leaves those affected alone within racist administrative practices.
The NaDiRa Monitoring Report 2026 (DeZIM) shows that experiences of racism in Germany remain unevenly distributed and extend from public spaces into institutional contexts.
Key findings:
– Three in four immigrants or their descendants experience discrimination.
– One in four Black people report being insulted, threatened, or attacked at least once a month.
– Nearly one third of Muslims report discrimination in public spaces.
– Two in three people in Germany believe that some cultures are “more progressive and better” than others.
Despite being scientifically disproven, assumptions of inherent differences between population groups remain widespread. Racism persists in both explicit and subtle forms, underscoring the need to strengthen anti-racist education and address biological, culturalist, and contemporary forms of racism.
This confirms what those affected have long pointed out—and underscores the urgency of political action. Protection gaps remain, especially within state institutions.
What is needed: stronger anti-discrimination measures, better access to justice, independent complaint mechanisms, protection against victimization, and sustained investment in research, monitoring, and anti-racist standards.
“As Angela Davis reminds us: ‘In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.’”
*Links to both reports in the comments
NaDiRa - Rassismus Monitor 2026
https://www.rassismusmonitor.de/fileadmin/user_upload/NaDiRa/Publikationen/Verfestigte_Abwertung/Verfestigte_Abwertungen.pdf
FGZ - Institutionen & Rassismus
https://fgz-risc.de/forschung/inra-studie/
Bild: © Columbia GSAPP
