*Update*: Record in discrimination reports — Ataman criticises federal government

The Federal Anti-Discrimination Office released its annual report today – and the figures are alarming. Zeit Online reports that more than 13,000 people contacted the advisory service in 2025 due to alleged discrimination. This is a new record. In almost half of all cases, racism was at the centre of complaints.

Anti-discrimination commissioner Ferda Ataman draws a grim conclusion from this: racist attitudes are becoming entrenched in society, according to Tagesspiegel she said when presenting the report. Particularly affected are groups that structurally experience discrimination more frequently – including Sinti and Roma, against whom a significant proportion of racially motivated incidents are directed.

Criticism of the federal government

Beyond the record increase in case numbers, Ataman directs sharp criticism at the federal government. taz writes that the commissioner accuses the government of shirking concrete improvements in anti-discrimination law. She describes the reform steps taken so far as far too modest – given the scale of the problem, they fall far short.

Specifically, Ataman calls for, among other things, a strengthening of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG), which currently offers those affected only limited legal recourse. ZDF reports that the advisory service has pointed out structural gaps in legal protection for years without the government responding substantively. Many affected persons fail to actually enforce their rights – even when discrimination is clearly documented.

According to Ataman, the record number of reports reflects not only increased victimisation but also growing awareness: more people know their rights and actively seek support. However, this does not change the fact that the social and legal framework is not keeping pace with this development.