Germany’s Muslims Find Fewer Reasons to Vote

Around 5.5 million Muslims live in Germany (Source). Approximately half of these have a German passport and around 1.5 million of these are over the age of 18, making them eligible to vote. Overall, the number of eligible voters with a migrant background has been estimated to be as high as 7.4 million (Source). Not…

Share Button
Read More

Head of French Islam representative bodies: between novelties and continuity

In January, major changes occurred in central institutions in charge of the official representation of French Islam. Firstly, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris [La Grande Mosquéede Paris], Dalil Boubakeur, unexpectedly resigned after a 28 years mandate, invoking personal reasons.  Chems-eddine Hafiz, was appointed  his successor few days later. Under Algerian influence, the…

Share Button
Read More

New Austrian Conservative-Green government doubles down on anti-immigration, anti-Islam stance

Sebastian Kurz, Austrian Chancellor and leader of the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) has pulled off a remarkable political feat: having governed in a coalition with the far-right nationalists of the Freedom Party (FPÖ) since 2017, he has not only emerged unscathed from the rubble of his ÖVP-FPÖ government, which collapsed amidst a corruption scandal….

Share Button
Read More

Accusations of the “Dual loyalties” of Muslims resurfaces in the United Kingdom’s run up to general elections

The run up to the general election, due to take place in December, in the United Kingdom has brought to the forefront again the question of political loyalties of Muslims. Conservative candidate for South Cambridgeshire and former aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson Anthony Browne is facing calls to stand down after the Guardian brought…

Share Button
Read More

Muslims’ frustration with established religious associations spells sea change in German Islamic landscape

Germany’s major Islamic associations are in the midst of an upheaval – a development exemplified by the DİTİB organisation. A subsidiary of the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), DİTİB is the largest of a bewildering array of Islamic associations operating in Germany, running 950 of the country’s roughly 2,600 mosques.1 The organisation has, however,…

Share Button
Read More