Alarming figures

Right-wing extremist crimes increase by almost 25 percent

The gender distribution is clear: 91% of perpetrators of right-wing extremist crimes are men.

(Bild: Firn/imageBROKER)

The number of right-wing extremist crimes has risen by almost 25 percent compared to the previous year, according to a request from the SPÖ to the Ministry of the Interior. The three-party coalition sworn in on Monday announced increased measures against right-wing extremism and is planning a national action plan. Among other things, this provides for increased monitoring of potential threats.

The figures from the report on the protection of the constitution illustrate the extent of right-wing extremist crimes: Of the acts subsumed under the term right-wing extremist, 1296 were explicitly motivated by right-wing extremism, 97 were racist, 59 were anti-Semitic and 9 were Islamophobic, according to the response to the inquiry.

No statistics are kept on how many acts were explicitly directed against Roma and Romnja or Sinti and Sintizze. The sharp increase is alarming: compared to 2022, 60 percent more right-wing extremist crimes were registered last year.

On a positive note, the increase in reports is due to intensive investigations by the Directorate of State Security and Counter-Extremism. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the increased pressure to investigate has led to more reports and a simultaneous reduction in the number of unreported cases.

91 percent of perpetrators are male
A total of 1,208 criminal acts were registered in 2023 and 1,486 in 2024 - 404 of which took place online. The gender distribution is clear: 91% of perpetrators are male. For SPÖ MP Sabine Schatz, the figures are cause for concern: "This record figure must call on all democratic forces to stand up for our democracy at every level".

There was also a significant increase in reports under the Prohibition Act. These rose from 1,203 to 1,450 in 2024. In contrast, charges of incitement to hatred fell slightly, from 177 in 2023 to 156 the following year.

This record figure must call on all democratic forces to stand up for our democracy at every level.

SPÖ-Abgeordnete Sabine Schatz

Tripartite coalition plans NAP against right-wing extremism
The new government consisting of the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS is planning to draw up a National Action Plan against right-wing extremism. The government program also includes a commitment to publish an annual report on right-wing extremism.

The Mauthausen Committee Austria (MKÖ) has been calling for such an action plan since 2013 and the fact that it is now included in the government program is an important step forward, but also a highly necessary one: "Our fear that the record number of right-wing extremist crimes from 2023 will be surpassed once again has unfortunately been confirmed," said MKÖ Chairman Willi Mernyi. 

The Upper Austria. Netzwerk gegen Rassismus und Rechtsextremismus (Antifa-Netzwerk) was also appalled: "The government must not simply go back to business as usual. In line with the clear anti-fascist mandate of the federal constitution, the action plan must be drawn up and implemented immediately with the involvement of civil society," emphasized its spokesperson Robert Eiter.

Our fear that the record number of right-wing extremist crimes set in 2023 will be surpassed once again has unfortunately been confirmed.

MKÖ-Vorsitzender Willi Mernyi

"Right-wing extremism is a problem that threatens democracy"
The report was published just a few weeks ago by the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Justice and the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance (DÖW). The FPÖ featured prominently in the report, which then attacked the DÖW. "Right-wing extremism is a specific problem that threatens democracy. Specific solutions are needed to counter it," says Andreas Kranebitter, Scientific Director of the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance. He is pleased that the new government is taking the problem seriously and is clearly committed to continuing the right-wing extremism report in its program. 

However, this could only be part of a package of measures. Kranebitter said he welcomed the plan to introduce an action plan and would support every step, be it educational programs to strengthen democracy, more detailed monitoring of right-wing extremism, new offers for those who have dropped out, support for victims of right-wing extremism or campaigns against hate speech on the Internet.

"In addition to the dramatic rise in right-wing extremist crimes, the accumulation of weapons found in the scene also shows how important it is to take decisive action," emphasized Schatz, who has been surveying the number of right-wing extremist crimes every six months since 2017. "Combating right-wing extremism remains one of the greatest challenges of our time."