European Parliament Urges Member States to Consider Terror Designations for Muslim Brotherhood

On Thursday, the European Parliament strongly supported proposals aimed at countering the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, voting 381 to 167 in favor of a resolution that calls for classifying certain supporters as terrorists. The measure urges EU member states to evaluate individuals and organizations tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, demanding information that would enable a clear assessment of its leaders, structures, and potential terrorist status.

Additionally, the European Commission has been asked to deliver a comprehensive overview detailing any instances where EU funds may have been distributed to associates of the Brotherhood. Lawmakers voiced deep concern regarding the influence strategies utilized by the Brotherhood and its supporters, characterizing the movement as a political project that prioritizes religious norms over common law—a framework deemed fundamentally incompatible with democratic principles, the rule of law, and citizen equality.

While the Muslim Brotherhood is already outlawed across several nations in the Middle East, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, and has specific branches designated as terrorist entities by the US in countries like Egypt and Jordan, mounting pressure has been directed at the EU to adopt comparable measures. This follows a January resolution by the French parliament urging the broader union to designate the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

Although the European Parliament lacks independent legislative authority, it maintains the ability to pressure other EU institutions into taking action. Celine Imart, a member of the parliament representing the centre-right European People's Party—the parliament's largest faction—emphasized that the EU must refrain from funding Islamists. She noted that Islam as a faith and political Islam as an ideology must remain distinct, stressing the need to safeguard both democracy and religious freedom while calling on the Council to list linked individuals and organizations as terrorist entities wherever rules permit.