Future of Dutch Muslims Uncertain as Far-Right Firebrand Geert Wilders Makes Historic Gains in Dutch Election

The controversial far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders has achieved a historic victory as his Freedom Party (PVV) won the most parliamentary seats in The Netherlands’ general elections held on November 23rd, 2023.1. This dramatic result demonstrates rising anti-immigration and Eurosceptic populism that could install Wilders as the nation’s first far-right Prime Minister Wilders Party for…

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A group gathered in front of the French Embassy protests against the ban on abaya (long dress) in schools in France in Vienna, Austria on September 16, 2023

French policies banning Hijabs and Abayas draw outrage at home and abroad

France’s Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera announced on 3rd September 2023  on France 3 that athletes representing France will be barred from wearing hijabs or other religious symbols while competing at the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.1  The minister stated that the ban upholds France’s principle of “strict secularism” or  “la laïcité,” in sports and…

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Germany’s Anti-Muslim Sentiment: Key Insights from the Report of the Anti-Muslim Hostility Group

On 30th June 2023, a 400 paged report titled as Anti- Muslim Hostility- A German Balance Sheet 2023 ( Muslimfeindlichkeit – Eine deutsche Bilanz 2023) [fn]https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/EN/publikationen/2023/BMI22030.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1[/fn] was produced by the Independent Group of Experts on Anti-Muslim Hostility UEM (Unabhängigen Expertenkreis Muslimfeindlichkeit) under the auspices of Germany’s Interior Ministry. The twelve-member[fn] The twelve members of the…

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French Supreme Court Upholds Hijab Ban in Football Games: Another Affront to Religious Freedom

On Thursday, 29th June 2023, the Council of State (Conseil d’Etat) the highest administrative court in France, upheld a ban on Muslim women football players wearing hijab during all matches organized by the  French Football Federation (FFF).[fn]https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/top-french-court-upholds-ban-wearing-hijab-during-soccer-games-2023-06-29/[/fn]   The case was brought before the Council of State on 26th June 2023. [fn]https://www.marianne.net/societe/laicite-et-religions/port-du-hijab-dans-le-foot-le-conseil-detat-denonce-des-attaques-contre-lindependance-de-la-justice [/fn]  after the…

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The Contested Shawcross Review of PREVENT: Anti-Terrorism or Anti-Islam?

On 8 February 2023, the long-awaited report – The Independent Review of Prevent – conducted by the commissioner for public appointments William Shawcross, was published after much skepticism, delay and controversy, even from within the cabinet.[1]  The Prevent Duty, born in the wake of 9/11 as part of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, places a duty…

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