Germany is a diverse country, a fact that offers opportunities for future development in a globalized world, but also poses challenges for the social coexistence of people. In recent years, the question of how much diversity Germany can bear has been the subject of heated debate. The primary goal of the “Cohesion in Diversity: The Diversity Barometer of the Robert Bosch Stiftung” project is to put the debate soundly on objective grounds by making fact-based contributions.

The Diversity Barometer is a representative survey that provides data on interviewees' attitudes to different dimensions of diversity, such as age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, religion, and low socio-economic standing. The study was conducted for the first time in 2018. 3,025 German residents aged 16 and older were interviewed by telephone about their opinions and attitudes toward various social groups. The Jacobs University Bremen provided scientific support to the project.

German-language edition.

Germany is an immigration country and is therefore characterized by ethnic and religious diversity. However, acceptance of diverse ethnic backgrounds and religions has sharply declined in recent years, according to the Diversity Barometer 2025. While 78 % of respondents in 2019 reported that they always learned something new when spending time with people from other countries, only 54 % feel this way now. Additionally, 59 % currently believe that nowadays one could be “labeled as racist for the slightest thing”. 

Under these circumstances, how can we enable participation and belonging in an immigration society for as many as possible? How do people living in Germany – those with and without a migration background – view the different aspects of diversity? What are the foundations of togetherness? The present focus report, “Participation and Belonging in Germany’s Immigration Society”, from the Diversity Barometer 2025 by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, offers answers to these questions.

The expertise examines how the accommodation situation for refugees in Germany has developed since the high arrival numbers in 2022 and 2023. The study shows that while acute overload has eased in many places, the task remains challenging for municipalities. Based on a nationwide survey of 894 municipalities, it becomes clear how structural problems—from the lack of affordable housing to bottlenecks in immigration authorities—complicate integration. The analysis highlights how political measures take effect and what consequences they have for administration and refugees.

You can find the article on the expertise here: https://mediendienst-integration.de/artikel/viele-kommunen-sind-nicht-mehr-am-limit.html