The European Parliament voted by 381 members to 167, with 15 abstentions, in favour of a resolution calling for a joint European strategy to counter what it described as “Islamist infiltration” and strengthen scrutiny of networks linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The move has revived debate over civil society organisations’ ties to public institutions and their sources of funding.
European resolution sets scope of proposed scrutiny
The resolution focuses on identifying networks seeking to influence European institutions, and examining their financial resources and links to public bodies, according to Europa, an agency specialising in European Union affairs. The vote does not constitute a binding terrorist designation of the Muslim Brotherhood, but calls for stricter verification and scrutiny procedures under European and national rules.
French authorities consider that some networks linked to the organisation use religious, educational and social institutions to expand their presence in local communities and build relationships with municipalities, officials and public bodies. This assessment places associations at the centre of the European debate over the boundaries of legitimate civil society work and the possibility of using it to gain political or organisational influence.
French assessment of community influence networks
In May 2025, the French Interior Ministry published a report entitled “The Muslim Brotherhood and Political Islam in France”, warning, based on its assessment, of a strategy aimed at gradually expanding influence through associations, schools and religious institutions.
The report referred to activities by institutions that the authorities consider close to the organisation in education, social services and work directed at young people. According to the French report, this presence enables those institutions to take part in public debates and establish channels of communication with local officials.
However, it did not establish that all the institutions it examined operate under unified organisational leadership or engage in illegal activities, as the nature of the links attributed to them varies between organisational affiliation and ideological affinity. European Union institutions allow civil society organisations to participate in consultations and events addressing human rights, combating discrimination, religious freedoms and youth issues.
These channels raise questions about some organisations’ ability to build a political and institutional presence extending beyond the social services or civil activities they publicly declare. The French report says that some networks linked to the Muslim Brotherhood work to establish relationships with local officials and public institutions, using their community presence to participate in policy-related debates.
According to the report, this pattern relies on building a long-term presence through institutions that are legally independent but may share ideological orientations or organisational ties. However, contact with officials or participation in public consultations does not, in itself, constitute evidence of improper influence.
Funding and evidence are the basis of any official investigation
Determining the nature of the links between institutions and the objectives they pursue therefore remains a key element in any official investigation, alongside the need to distinguish lawful civil activity from any potential practices that breach the law. Funding is one of the main issues attracting the attention of European authorities, particularly in the case of institutions operating in more than one country or benefiting from public support programmes.
European security reports indicate that some networks linked to the Muslim Brotherhood rely on donations, economic activities and charitable institutions to fund their operations. The concerns outlined in those reports centre on the possibility that financial resources could be used to strengthen political or organisational influence.
In this context, the European initiative calls for closer scrutiny of bodies receiving public funds, and for checks on funding sources and links between institutions, with the aim of detecting any activities that breach European legislation. Receiving public funding or donations is not, in itself, a legal violation for an association unless the misuse of those funds or prohibited links is established.
Commission links measures to national laws and legal evidence
This makes legal evidence, the nature of spending and institutional relationships decisive factors before action is taken against any association or network. In an official response issued in September 2025, the European Commission said it had taken note of the French report concerning the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood.
It also made clear that dealing with associations registered in member states falls within the remit of national authorities and is governed by the laws in force in each country. The Commission stressed the need to respect freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of belief, highlighting the distinction between raising security concerns and taking measures based on legal evidence.
The parliamentary vote has brought back into focus the criteria used by EU institutions when selecting civil society organisations as partners, as well as mechanisms for examining those organisations’ funding and institutional ties. Supporters of the resolution are calling for tighter scrutiny to prevent improper influence within European institutions.
Human rights organisations, by contrast, warn that widening the circle of suspicion could lead to restrictions on independent Islamic institutions. The task for the authorities is to establish organisational links or improper influence in each case and distinguish them from legitimate civil and political participation.
