Number of PKK terrorists and far-right extremists rising in Germany

In a joint press conference held in Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and BfV President Thomas Haldenwang presented the 2023 report of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The report highlighted the expansion of both the PKK terrorist organization and far-right extremist groups in Germany.

Haldenwang noted that the BfV has been monitoring the PKK for many years and has observed an increase in its members, stating, “The number, which was 14,500 last year, has now reached 15,000.” He added that the PKK views Germany primarily as a place for rest and retreat and collects millions of euros from its followers annually.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser reminded that the PKK has been banned in Germany since 1993 and has been listed as a terrorist organization since 2002.

PKK: The strongest foreign terrorist organization in Germany

The report emphasized that the PKK is considered the “strongest foreign extremist organization” in Germany with the largest membership. Crimes committed by the PKK increased by 9.2%, from 262 in 2022 to 286 in 2023. Among these, 22 were violent crimes and 99 were related to propaganda.

The PKK raised between 16 and 17 million euros through so-called donation campaigns in Germany, maintaining the same level as in 2022. This money, collected in cash from alleged donors, is used for organizational management and propaganda in Europe. While the PKK tries to present a largely non-violent image in Europe, it continues its terrorist activities in Turkiye.

Since June 2013, over 300 individuals have left Germany to join the PKK, with 41 reported killed and 160 returning. The report stressed that violence remains a strategic element of PKK ideology.

Rise of far-right extremism

Thomas Haldenwang stated that in 2022, there were 38,800 far-right extremists identified in Germany. This number increased by 4.6% to 40,600 in 2023, with 14,500 classified as violent, marking a 3.6% increase.

The BfV report indicated a 22.4% increase in crimes committed by far-right extremists, rising from 20,967 in 2022 to 25,660 in 2023. Violent incidents also increased by 13%, from 1,148 in the previous year.

The number of members of the far-right group known as Reichsburger (Imperial Citizens) grew by 2,500, reaching 25,000, with 2,500 of them classified as “inclined to violence.”