Destination Risk Register

Germany is a constitutional democracy. Citizens choose their representatives periodically in free and fair multiparty elections. The lower chamber of the federal parliament (Bundestag) elects the chancellor as head of the federal government. The second legislative chamber, the Federal Council (Bundesrat), represents the 16 states at the federal level and is composed of members of the state governments. The country’s 16 states exercise considerable autonomy, including for law enforcement and education. The elections for the Bundestag are considered free and fair. The government took steps to investigate, prosecute, and punish officials in the security services and elsewhere in government who committed human rights abuses or were accused of corruption.

Despite a high overall score, violations of human rights can always happen. Compliance with human rights standards cannot be assumed. Caution should be exercised. Relevant risks for the tourism sector are, e.g.:

• Threats of violence motivated by anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hatred, xenophobia, or other forms of right-wing extremism
• Threats of violence against members of ethnic or religious minority groups