Left-wing political violence remains a significant security concern in parts of Europe. In Germany, police-recorded violent offenses with a left-wing political motivation increased by 42.7 percent in 2025. During the October 2026 riots in France and Italy, extreme-left groups and activists participated in violent unrest or broader protests that turned violent. CEP research has also documented transnational cooperation among violence-oriented left-wing networks, as well as connections between parts of the extreme left and terrorist organizations, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Hamas.
CEP examines left-wing political violence, violent extremism, and terrorism, with a particular focus on Europe. Its research examines who commits, supports, or legitimizes political violence; how these actors operate; and how they connect with broader political movements and networks. It covers relevant anarchist, communist, Marxist-Leninist, autonomous, and antifascist actors and milieus.
CEP uses “extreme left” to describe movements and actors seeking to dismantle or replace the existing democratic constitutional order. Their proposed alternatives range from revolutionary communist or socialist systems to anarchist forms of self-government. The “radical left” generally advocates fundamental political, economic, or social change while accepting democratic principles and processes. “Far left” is a broader political label whose meaning varies across countries and may include both radical and extremist actors. These distinctions allow CEP to assess political objectives and attitudes toward violence separately.
CEP focuses particularly on violence-oriented actors who commit, prepare, facilitate, or support political violence, or explicitly advocate, endorse, or justify its use. The research distinguishes between direct perpetrators, those providing operational support, and those legitimizing violence. It also examines left-wing politically motivated violence where the political motive is documented but the perpetrators' extremist affiliation remains unclear. Because legal definitions and recording practices differ across Europe, CEP distinguishes terrorism from other forms of political violence and identifies the national classifications used.
CEP analyzes attacks on political opponents and police, violent confrontations, intimidation, arson, and infrastructure sabotage. It investigates recruitment, youth mobilization, communications, training, financing, logistical support, target selection, and cross-border cooperation. Additional areas include the role of antisemitism and anti-Israel mobilization in political violence, connections with organized crime and other extremist milieus, and the involvement of left-wing actors in armed conflicts in Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine, including potential security implications following their return.
To understand these developments, CEP also examines broader left-wing movements, political parties, activist publications, protest networks, and solidarity structures when documented activities, statements, or relationships help explain violent mobilization or support for violence-oriented actors. The research distinguishes ideological alignment and participation in common political activities from personnel connections, material support, and operational cooperation. Lawful left-wing politics, antifascism, and protest activity are not in themselves treated as evidence of extremism or involvement in political violence.
A further priority is understanding how violence-oriented networks organize and sustain their activities. Some operate through formal organizations, while others rely on persistent informal networks, trusted local groups, digital platforms, and temporary operational cells. CEP examines how people, resources, and capabilities move between political movements, protest environments, support structures, and violent networks. It assesses organizational continuity and cooperation through documented activities rather than assuming either a unified movement or isolated individuals.
Through this approach, CEP aims to provide policymakers, security practitioners, journalists, and researchers with evidence-based assessments of violent actors, their networks and capabilities, relevant political connections, and emerging security threats.