More than eighty per cent of Germans often refrain from expressing their true opinions and practise self-censorship. This comes as no surprise, given recent Western European events, such as elderly people having their homes searched over social media posts, or the persistent efforts to undermine the right-wing Alternative for Germany.

A survey by the Institute for New Social Responses (INSA) published on Monday found that

84 per cent of Germans surveyed believe that their fellow citizens self-censor their opinions „because they are afraid of consequences.” In contrast, just nine per cent disagreed.

According to the pollster, this belief was shared across the political spectrum, with 77 per cent of supporters of the leftist-progressive Green party agreeing that people self-censor and 92 per cent of voters who back the populist-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) saying the same.

INSA-Umfrage: Weiter bergab mit der Meinungsfreiheit.
Glauben Sie, dass Personen ihre Meinung nicht äußern?
84% (+6%)

Hatte Sie selbst schon ein Erlebnis … ?
54% (+11%)https://t.co/zD8CuRy3UZ pic.twitter.com/Vk2ekFcSNf

— Mathias_M (@matze2001) August 3, 2025

When asked if they personally have hidden their true thoughts, 54 per cent said that they have had at least one experience when they did not feel able to speak freely. This represented a six-point increase since the pollster asked the same question just eight months ago.

INSA did find a striking divergence among age groups, with two-thirds of those under 30 saying that they do not feel free to express their beliefs, compared to 38 per cent for those over the age of 70, according to the Breitbart news portal.

Although there was a broad consensus across the political spectrum acknowledging that other Germans are likely self-censoring, there was also a clear divide among supporters of various parties on whether they feel the need to hide their thoughts personally.

The survey revealed that 76 per cent of AfD supporters reported self-censoring, followed by 69 per cent who support the leftist BSW party, and 65 per cent of Die Linke voters.

Commenting on the results, INSA said:

“The topic of freedom of expression has the potential to become just as influential as migration from 2015 and the Corona virus from 2020. Politics as well as the media and society as a whole should take this seriously.”

Self-Censorship Is No Surprise

In recent years, liberal opinion dominance and political correctness have become so widespread in Western Europe that it is hardly surprising most Germans consider self-censorship a common phenomenon.

In France, a woman was arrested for calling President Emmanuel Macron „mentally retarded” on social media. She faced a potential fine of 12,000 euros for allegedly insulting the dignity of the president.

In Germany, several elderly people have had their homes searched for insulting politicians on social media. One retired woman was subjected to a house search and fined simply for criticising migration policy on X.

In Britain, a teacher was sacked for making anti-migrant comments on social media, which were classified as “hate speech.”

Such cases are increasingly common in the UK, where

In 2024 alone, 12,000 people were arrested over social media posts, often for comments on political or migration issues. One man was even sentenced to prison in 2024 for tweeting a “stupid joke” that was deemed anti-Muslim.

Witch Hunt Against the AfD

The INSA public opinion survey showed that a significant majority, 76 per cent, of AfD supporters reported practising self-censorship, reflecting the prevailing conditions in the country.

It is noteworthy that although the AfD has been under surveillance by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) since 2021, on 2 May 2025, it was officially designated as “proven far-right.” This classification allowed for increased surveillance (including wiretapping). However, on 8 May, following an appeal by the party, the BfV announced it would suspend the “proven far-right” classification until court proceedings are concluded. In the meantime, the party is once again treated as a “suspected case,” which involves a lower level of monitoring but still permits the use of intelligence tools—albeit under stricter judicial oversight.

The case has immediately sparked controversy. For example,

Roman Poseck, the CDU interior minister of the state of Hesse, suggested that it should be examined whether AfD membership is compatible with positions in the police or civil service.