Study Finds 13% of People in Germany Experienced Discrimination in Daily Life

Study Finds 13% of People in Germany Experienced Discrimination in Daily Life
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A recent study has found that discrimination remains present in everyday life in Germany, with around 13% of residents reporting that they experienced unequal treatment during the past year in places such as shops, banks, restaurants, and public venues.

The findings are based on data from the annual Socio-Economic Panel survey conducted by the German Institute for Economic Research. The survey includes responses from about 30,000 participants across the country and examines social and economic conditions as well as people’s daily experiences.

Participants were asked whether they had faced discrimination during the previous 12 months and to identify the locations where it occurred and the possible reasons behind it. Researchers noted that most of the data were collected between May 2021 and January 2023, a period influenced by restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the results, 13.1% of respondents said they had experienced discrimination in the year preceding the survey. Ferda Ataman, Germany’s federal anti-discrimination commissioner, described the findings as a “test of society’s ability to confront discrimination.”

The study found that the most frequently cited reason was racial or ethnic background, reported by 41.9% of those affected. About 25.9% said discrimination was linked to their physical appearance, while 23.8% attributed it to gender or gender identity.

The results also showed differences between religious groups. Around 28.6% of Muslim respondents reported experiencing discrimination during the previous year, compared with 10.4% among non-Muslims. The rate was notably higher among Muslim women who wear the headscarf, with more than 38% reporting discriminatory incidents within a single year.

Researchers say the findings highlight ongoing challenges in combating discrimination in German society and underscore growing calls for stronger equality policies and measures to address racism in public life.