A research institute stated on Tuesday, just five days before an election, that a higher percentage of foreigners in Germany does not correlate with an increased crime rate. This finding comes amid heightened concerns over security due to violent incidents associated with migrants.
The Ifo institute conducted an analysis of police data from 2018 to 2023 and concluded that there is “no correlation between a rising proportion of foreigners in a district and the local crime rate,” according to researcher Jean-Victor Alipour, who noted that this finding also pertains to refugees.
As the February 23 election approaches, immigration and security have become central themes in the campaign, particularly following a series of violent events in recent weeks. Current polls indicate that the centre-right CDU/CSU bloc is leading, followed closely by far-right parties.
Last week, an Afghan immigrant drove his vehicle into a crowd in Munich, resulting in injuries to more than 30 individuals, two of whom subsequently succumbed to their injuries. Prosecutors believe that his actions may have been driven by Islamist ideology.
In their assessment, Ifo noted that foreign nationals are represented in crime statistics at a higher rate than their proportion of the population would suggest. This discrepancy is attributed to the tendency of migrants to settle in urban areas that typically experience higher crime rates, even among the local German population, according to the institute.
