European awakening on the Muslim Brotherhood issue: seven countries on the path to counteraction

In the heart of Europe, concerns are mounting over a transnational network that some governments see as a silent threat infiltrating deep into societies.

This is the Muslim Brotherhood, designated as a terrorist organization by several states, which for decades has woven its web within European communities, employing strategies of quiet infiltration and deception to entrench itself. Yet, the tide now appears to be turning against it.

• France’s Muslim Brotherhood… warnings over infiltration and calls to address its root causes

• Rising Western Pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood: A Shift in Policies and Approaches

Switzerland and Germany are the latest European countries where political figures have voiced concerns over the Brotherhood’s influence and reach, following France’s launch of a crackdown against the group and its affiliates.

In Switzerland, in recent weeks, prominent politician Jacqueline de Quattro has called for an investigation similar to France’s, into the threat posed by the Brotherhood. Alongside a broad coalition of Swiss parliamentarians, she has urged a thorough official inquiry to document the existence, structure, ideological and social influence of these networks, and to assess their compatibility—or lack thereof—with Switzerland’s constitutional principles.

For De Quattro and her allies, such an investigation would provide a solid foundation for adopting coherent and proportionate measures to counter the threat.

• The Muslim Brotherhood in Europe and Youth: A Long Arm with 31 Branches and a Recruitment Strategy

• Action Plan in Germany: A New Path to Counter the Muslim Brotherhood

In Germany, the Brotherhood is on the verge of facing a significant setback, as the government prepares to fulfill one of the key commitments in its coalition agreement: drafting a federal action plan against political Islam. According to sources, the plan will address all aspects of the phenomenon—from funding to propaganda and recruitment, as well as partnerships with public institutions in education and culture.

Christoph de Vries, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, has expressed hope that work on the federal action plan will begin this autumn. Security expert Mustafa Ammar has warned that Germany made a grave mistake by allowing such ideologies to grow unchecked, adding that federal intelligence services consider the Brotherhood “more dangerous than ISIS.”

• The Muslim Brotherhood in Europe and Youth: An Extensive Arm with 31 Branches and a Structured Recruitment Strategy

• Warnings Over Soft Muslim Brotherhood Infiltration in the UK and Attempts to Monopolize the Arab Voice

In France, this summer saw the release of an in-depth investigation and President Emmanuel Macron’s instruction to his government to develop legislation aimed at curbing the Brotherhood’s influence and the spread of political Islam. The report identified the Union of Muslims of France as the main Brotherhood actor, controlling 139 places of worship, 280 associations, and 21 schools. Measures adopted include expanding administrative dissolution powers, freezing assets, and revising foreign language teaching programs.

A report from George Washington University highlighted similar concerns in seven European countries—Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden—where intelligence agencies share a deeply negative view of the Brotherhood, describing a “wide and sophisticated” network operating covertly at both national and European levels.

Austria began a sweeping crackdown in 2020 against Brotherhood-linked networks, while in Belgium, recent revelations showed that an organization linked to the group had received €300,000 in public funds despite intelligence warnings. MP Denis Ducarme condemned this as a serious breach affecting national security and called for a parliamentary inquiry.

• Switzerland Faces Growing Pressure to Confront the Muslim Brotherhood

• Washington Moves Against the Muslim Brotherhood: New Bill Proposes Terrorist Designation

• Funding of Extremist Associations Shakes Belgium: Is the Country Moving Toward Banning Muslim Brotherhood Branches?

• The Brotherhood’s Claw Resurfaces in France… What Is Baraka City About?