The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling for stronger scrutiny of the Muslim Brotherhood and networks it describes as involved in “Islamist entryism.” The vote followed years of calls by some European governments for action on the organization, according to Lorenzo Vidino, director of George Washington University’s program on extremism, who spoke to Fox News Digital.
French parliament member Céline Imart sponsored the resolution. She characterized its passage as a European first and said lawmakers had overcome partisan differences. The measure was led by the center-right European People’s Party, the Parliament’s largest political group. Vidino said support was concentrated on the right, while a significant portion of the left opposed it, with exceptions.
The Parliament’s statement says entryism can target democratic institutions, the rule of law, gender equality and fundamental freedoms. It also says Muslim citizens should be protected from discrimination and cautions against treating organized Islamist networks as representatives of Muslim communities. The text argues that EU institutions should not fund or legitimize networks that use democratic systems to undermine European principles, while emphasizing that anti-discrimination policies should not prevent criticism of Islam.
The resolution asks the European Council to assess whether people or organizations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood should be added to the EU’s list of terrorist organizations. It also calls for clearer tracking of EU funds and a European Commission review of grants awarded to entities or individuals suspected of links to the Brotherhood or political Islam. Further proposals include greater scrutiny of foreign funding and international partnerships, as well as consideration of EU-level measures concerning hate preachers.
The measure drew a sharp response from the European Network Against Racism, or ENAR. The organization called the resolution racist and Islamophobic and rejected claims linking it or member groups to the Muslim Brotherhood. ENAR said the measure unfairly cast Muslim-led civil society and groups opposing anti-Muslim prejudice as suspect. Those are ENAR’s stated objections; the supplied account does not independently assess its claims or the resolution’s characterization of the organizations involved.
Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former British ambassador to Yemen, praised the resolution’s wording. He said, however, that turning it into binding law would be difficult. Vidino likewise cautioned against assuming an immediate practical impact, noting that Islamist groups can conceal their activities. He described the vote as a political signal that could encourage European agencies and governments to scrutinize the Brotherhood more closely.
Vidino contrasted the European approach with the Trump administration’s designation of the Muslim Brotherhood and four of its branches as terrorist organizations. In his account, European debate has focused more on alleged political influence and subversion, including activities that may be legal when considered individually. The source does not provide details of the U.S. designations or identify the four branches.
Imart said the vote was a beginning and called on the European Commission and Council to act on the resolution. Its proposals now leave open questions about what steps EU institutions will take, whether any entities will be listed, and whether the calls for funding reviews or other measures will become binding policy.
