The European Parliament on Thursday backed a resolution calling on EU member states to strengthen efforts to counter the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood movement and to consider adding individuals and organisations linked to it to terrorist lists. The document was supported by 381 lawmakers, while 167 voted against, The National reported.

What the resolution provides for

The resolution calls on EU countries to provide information that would make it possible to assess the leadership and structures of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, and to determine whether they should be classified as terrorist. The European Commission is also asked to prepare a comprehensive overview of cases in which EU funds were received by individuals or entities linked to the movement.

The Parliament’s position

In the document, the European Parliament expressed deep concern over the influence strategies that, in lawmakers’ view, are used by the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters. The movement was described as a political project based on the priority of religious norms over common law, which, according to parliamentarians, is incompatible with democratic principles, the rule of law and equality of citizens.

The European Parliament does not have independent powers to make such decisions, but its resolution may increase pressure on other EU institutions. The largest parliamentary force, the centre-right European People’s Party, said that the EU should not fund Islamists and called on the Council of the EU to place individuals and organisations linked to the movement on terrorist lists where the rules allow this.

“It is a historic moment.”Manel Msalmi, President, European Association for the Defence of Minorities

Advocates welcome the vote

Manel Msalmi, President of the European Association for the Defence of Minorities and Co-President of ETHAN, welcomed the resolution and thanked the political groups that backed it, mainly the EPP and ECR. She said secular, anti-Islamist human rights advocates have worked for more than a decade to raise awareness in EU institutions about the movement’s impact on peace and security, individual freedoms, human rights and women’s rights.

What comes next

Because the Parliament cannot designate groups as terrorist on its own, the next steps rest with the Council of the EU and member states. The resolution asks governments to share information on the movement’s leadership and structures, and asks the Commission to account for any EU funds that reached linked entities. As supporters see it, those measures could lay the groundwork for listings where the legal rules allow.

MM

Manel Msalmi

Chief Executive Faith & Freedom News -FFN, President, European Association for the Defence of Minorities · Co-President, ETHAN — Engagement to Halt Antisemitism and Negationism · Human rights advocate & interfaith peace activist

Manel Msalmi is a researcher and expert in international politics, specializing in Middle Eastern issues, gender equality, and the fight against extremism.

She is the President of the European Association for the Defence of Minorities, Co-President of ETHAN, Editor-in-Chief of Faith and Freedom News, and has founded numerous additional initiatives for human rights and women’s leadership.

An author and frequent speaker for the UN, the EU, and European universities, she has received numerous awards for her work combating antisemitism and hate speech, and for promoting peace.