Sweden vs. the Muslim Brotherhood… Will the government stop funding Brotherhood institutions?

Recent measures taken by the Kingdom of Sweden regarding the Ibn Rushd educational organization mark a new turning point in the direction of the ruling right-wing government and its allies in the Sweden Democrats Party regarding the Muslim Brotherhood in the country.

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Sweden has a unique educational system that includes popular education unions, similar to private education in the Arab world. This structural system allows the establishment of schools and institutes with religious, ethnic, and sometimes sectarian leanings. The government provides generous financial support to these educational institutions, seeing it as a way to preserve the diversity of communities within Sweden, which promotes peace, security, and education from an early age.

The article adds that the recent, unsurprising decision to stop funding the Ibn Rushd educational organization highlights the important role the current government is playing in combating the Muslim Brotherhood‘s disruptive activities in the educational field, a view shared by many observers of the Swedish scene.

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Said noted that there are narratives propagated by the Brotherhood and some media that portray this government move as a clampdown on Muslims, portraying it as an attack on their religious institutions. These narratives are sometimes supported by positions from left-wing and opposition socialist parties, which accuse Ulf Kristersson’s government of being wholly subservient to the Sweden Democrats, known for their far-right stance.

He also pointed out that officials from the Ibn Rushd institution have not always denied their connection with the Islamic League in Sweden, the oldest religious institution in the country, which has been accused of long-standing ties with the international Muslim Brotherhood organization. Despite this, the League’s leaders have recently emphasized their separation from the Brotherhood.

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Said concluded that Sweden’s right-wing government does not have a good relationship with the Swedish Brotherhood, unlike the previous relationship between the Brotherhood and successive socialist governments. This is not solely due to a strategy to combat the Brotherhood, but rather as part of a governmental program to monitor those who violate educational and other laws, at both the institutional and individual levels.

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It is worth noting that King Carl Gustaf of Sweden revealed during his speech at the first session of parliament after the summer break in Stockholm that there are threats looming over his country, without specifying their nature. However, the general political climate, with the current government celebrating two years in power, reflects a direct pursuit of political Islamist groups, with the Muslim Brotherhood at the forefront.