European Parliament Supports Designation of Brotherhood-Linked Groups as Terrorists
The European Parliament voted on Thursday in favor of adding organizations and individuals connected to the Muslim Brotherhood to the EU’s terrorist list. This resolution aims to counter Islamist influence in Europe and ensure that EU taxpayer funds do not end up supporting extremist networks.
The resolution received 381 votes in favor, while 167 were against, with 15 members abstaining. It urges EU member states to create a unified strategy to tackle what lawmakers refer to as “Islamist entryism” and the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence in European institutions and civil society.
Furthermore, the measure requests that member states provide information to the Council of the European Union to help determine if Brotherhood-affiliated entities qualify for terrorist designations. It also calls for a closer examination of potential front organizations, financial networks, youth groups, and other connections related to this movement.
While the vote itself does not formally label any group as terrorist, it certainly puts pressure on EU bodies and national governments to contemplate such actions.
Additionally, the resolution encourages the European Commission to investigate whether any EU financing has reached organizations linked to the Brotherhood, while also proposing stronger safeguards against public funds being funneled towards Islamist groups.
This initiative was led by the European People’s Party (EPP), which is the largest political group in Parliament, garnering support from conservative and centrist legislators.
Before the vote, French EPP lawmaker Céline Imart emphasized the need to distinguish between religious freedom and political extremism in a call for action against Islamist influence. She stated, “It’s essential to ensure Europe does not fund Islamists,” highlighting the importance of protecting both democratic values and religious liberties.
Imart further remarked, “Wherever possible, the Council should designate individuals and organizations affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist entities. European funding should not support groups that pose a threat to our rights and freedoms.”
The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group, which also advocated for this measure, hailed its success. They described it as “a significant victory” and reiterated their stance of “no funding, no collaboration, and no more Muslim Brotherhood entryism in EU institutions and Member States.”
The European Jewish Congress also applauded the vote, viewing it as a crucial step in addressing extremist networks and their funding, and urged the Council to act in alignment with the Parliament’s stance.
This vote coincides with increasing scrutiny of the Brotherhood’s activities in Europe. For instance, a May 2025 investigation conducted by the French government raised alarms about the movement’s attempts to broaden its influence through various organizations.
In January, France’s National Assembly had already passed a resolution recommending that the EU consider designating the Brotherhood as a terrorist entity.
This action from the European Parliament follows similar previous measures taken by the Trump administration, which in January designated three Muslim Brotherhood chapters as terrorist organizations after conducting a review of the movement in November.
The State Department previously labeled the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Likewise, the Egyptian and Jordanian chapters were classified as Specially Designated Global Terrorists due to their support for Hamas.
“These designations represent the beginning of an ongoing effort to disrupt the violent activities and destabilizing actions of Muslim Brotherhood chapters wherever they arise,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated at that time.
The current resolution now places the onus on EU institutions and member states to decide whether to pursue similar designations and to enforce the proposed limitations on funding and collaboration.
