Bavaria: New regulation with exceptions
In the past, a cautious approach was taken: information on origin and nationality was only provided if it was necessary to understand the circumstances of the crime. The reason for the change was an increasing discussion on this topic in social media as well as accusations that the police were deliberately withholding information on nationality.
However, the nationality will not always be published in future. If there are tactical investigative reasons or data protection reasons to the contrary, the police can continue to refrain from naming the person. This applies in particular if it would be possible to identify the person concerned by combining several pieces of information.
Other federal states with similar requirements
Bavaria is following the example of several other federal states with this measure. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia, similar regulations have been in force for some time. In Baden-Württemberg, Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) recently spoke out in favor of a uniform nationwide approach
Mention of nationality in police statistics
At the same time, North Rhine-Westphalia has been pursuing a different (but similar) approach since July 2025: the crime statistics there record not only the German nationality of suspects and victims, but all nationalities.
Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) also justified the move with more transparency and practical considerations, such as reasons for detention. Initial evaluations showed that in 2024, one in six German suspects in NRW had a second nationality.
However, the decision sparked criticism. Representatives of the SPD and Greens in NRW warned that the separate registration of multiple nationalities could promote racism and turn people with dual citizenship into "second-class Germans". However, support came from CDU/CSU politicians in the Bundestag, who called for other federal states to follow suit.
In the meantime, the CDU parliamentary group in Hamburg is also calling for all nationalities to be included in the state's police statistics. The party recently tabled a motion to this effect, which will now be discussed and decided upon.
