On Thursday, October 8, 2026, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for an EU strategy against “Islamist entryism” and Muslim Brotherhood networks.
“Entryism” means using charities, student groups, anti-racism work, and democratic language to gain influence in institutions and civil society.
The tally was 381 in favor, 167 against, and 15 abstentions.
The lead sponsor was Céline Imart, a French Les Républicains MEP in the center-right EPP group and a farmer from the Tarn, was the lead sponsor. Negotiators from Renew, the ECR, and the Patriots also backed the text. Imart noted the Socialists and the far left boycotted it.
Although the resolution is non-binding and does not ban any group by itself, Parliament asks the EU to:
- Build a method for spotting Islamist entryism and related networks.
- Tighten checks on EU funding, partnerships, and beneficiaries linked to political Islam, and publish an overview of funds already paid to people or groups suspected of Muslim Brotherhood ties.
- Have the Council assess whether Muslim Brotherhood-linked entities, front groups, financial relays, youth networks, and coordinators should be added to the EU terrorist list.
- Exclude FEMYSO (the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organizations), which the sponsors treat as a Brotherhood youth structure, from EU institutions and events.
- Strengthen visa and residence controls, including an EU list of hate preachers, and work more closely with Europol and Eurojust.
Imart shared, “It’s done. And it’s historic.”
“The European Parliament has just adopted my resolution against Islamist entryism and the networks of the Muslim Brotherhood. I’ve broken a taboo that Europe has been dragging around like a chain: this victory signifies a major doctrinal shift in the institutions.”
“Proud to have carried this text through to the end. Thank you to the negotiators from the other groups with whom I had the pleasure of working—excluding the socialists and the far left, who boycotted the text. We were able to transcend partisan divides on a major issue for our societies and our youth.”
Watch:
C’est fait. Et c’est historique.
Le Parlement européen vient d’adopter ma résolution contre l’entrisme islamiste et les réseaux des Frères musulmans.J’ai brisé un tabou que l’Europe trainait comme une chaîne : cette victoire signifie un changement de doctrine majeur dans les institutions.
Fière d’avoir porté ce texte jusqu’au bout. Merci aux négociateurs des autres groupes avec qui j’ai eu plaisir à travailler, hors socialistes et extrême gauche qui ont boycotté le texte. Nous avons pu dépasser les clivages politiciens, sur un sujet majeur pour nos sociétés et notre jeunesse.
— Céline Imart (@CelineImart) October 8, 2026
MEPs call for more vigilance against Islamist entryism, including funding controls, scrutiny of networks, and stronger cross-border cooperation.
In a resolution adopted on Thursday with 381 votes in favour, 167 against, and 15 abstentions, MEPs condemn the strategies of Islamist entryism, which aims to weaken European values, democratic institutions, and public order and social cohesion.
Institutional vigilance and the fight against discrimination
MEPs condemn Islamist entryism targeting democratic institutions, the rule of law, equality between women and men, and fundamental freedoms. They stress that protecting Muslim citizens from discrimination is a democratic obligation, while warning against treating organised Islamist networks as representative interlocutors. While Europe must remain free, open and faithful to its principles, it can “no longer fund, consult or legitimise networks that use its language, procedures and funding to weaken its values from within”.
Parliament calls for a European methodology to identify entryism, including confusion between religion and politics, institutional doublespeak, opaque financing, recurring partnerships, links to identified networks, and organisations or networks being re-established in new forms. MEPs stress that anti-discrimination policies must not be used to shield Islam from criticism or legitimise organised Islamist networks, while calling for support to civil society actors and Muslim representatives who defend democratic values and resist Islamist pressure. MEPs believe that the practice of concealing the face in public poses an unacceptable challenge to public security and law enforcement, so they support all national measures aimed at prohibiting full-face coverings (niqab or burqa) in public as a necessary step for social cohesion, public safety and the protection of the rights and freedoms of others, in particular women. EU institutions should strengthen checks before engaging with organisations that may be involved in entryism strategies – including the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) and other structures linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Possible terrorist listing
Parliament asks the Council to assess whether entities or individuals linked to the Muslim Brotherhood should be added to the EU list of terrorist organisations, looking beyond formal structures to associated entities, front organisations, financial relays, youth networks and individuals in leadership or coordination roles. Where the applicable criteria are met, Parliament calls for corresponding restrictive measures.
Funding controls and cross-border cooperation
Parliament also calls for:
- full traceability of EU funding, stronger due diligence and greater use of exclusion tools under the Financial Regulation;
- a Commission overview of EU funds awarded to people or entities suspected of links to the Muslim Brotherhood or political Islam;
- welcomes initiatives by member states to draw up national lists of hate preachers and calls for the establishment of such a list at EU level, which should lead to tighter visa and residence controls for such individuals;
- stronger scrutiny of foreign funding and transnational partnerships, particularly involving actors linked to Qatar or Türkiye; and
- greater use of Schengen tools and EU databases, backed by Europol and Eurojust cooperation within their mandates.
Ad block users: Some site features may not work correctly while an ad blocker is enabled, because they break scripts and content this website depends on. If you can’t see comments below, for example, please disable your ad blocker.