One-third of Germans hold populist right-wing views - study

Nearly one-third of Germans share populist right-wing views, according to a new study published on Tuesday.

The representative study revealed that conspiracy theories and far-right narratives were endorsed by larger groups in society.

Some "7% of Germans have a very strong attachment to right-wing populism, and 11% of them have a strong attachment," said Frank Brettschneider, a professor of political science at the University of Hohenheim.

"Overall, nearly one-third of Germans have a right-wing populist worldview in the broader sense," he said, summarizing the main findings of his study.

The research team interviewed more than 4,000 people in July, a representative group reflecting the demographic composition of the German population.

Some 26% of those surveyed said that they believe Germany is controlled by "secret powers," while 16% said the country is now "more like a dictatorship than a democracy."

Some 45% of those surveyed agreed with the statement that "democratic parties are talking down everything but not solving any problems".

Distrust towards the democratic system was higher among the population living in the former communist East Germany.

About 32% of respondents in eastern German states said they believe that "democracy more often leads to bad compromises rather than good decisions." In the Western states, 25% of respondents agreed with this statement.

The survey also revealed prejudice and negative views against immigrants and Muslims.

Some 31% of Germans said they fear that the country is being "infiltrated by Islam," while 18% of respondents said they partly agree with the statement.

About 47% of those surveyed argued that it became impossible "to say anything bad about foreigners" in Germany "without being considered a racist."