by European Civic Forum
A report commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron and presented to the French Council of Defence at the end of May is raising serious concerns among civil society organisations, particularly minority rights groups, who warn it may introduce new restrictions on Muslim communities and civil society in France. The report outlines potential new measures targeting Muslim communities and organisations, with Macron announcing that actions based on the report will be implemented shortly. The report labels several Muslim CSOs, including organisations like the Collective for Countering Islamophobia in Europe (CCIE), Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) and Etudiants musulmans de France (EMF), all members of the EU-wide network European Network Against Racism (ENAR), as part of a so-called “Muslim Brotherhood structure.”
In an already hostile political climate against Muslim and minority rights CSOs in France, the report has prompted fears of increased dissolutions, funding cuts, and restrictions on the freedom of association and expression. Narratives and labels expressed in the report could legitimise further discrimination and institutional violence against Muslims and those perceived as such, both in France and at the EU level.
