French Senate concerned about spread of political Islamism in society

Shaimaa Yahya

Extremist Islamism is polymorphic, infiltrates all aspects of social life, and seeks to impose new values on society under the pretext of individual freedom. These words are a reflection of France’s rejection of the ideology of political Islamists who seek to establish an Islamist caliphate and exert control in European countries, most notably the Brotherhood and the Salafist movement.

French Senate report

A report issued by the French Senate on Thursday, July 9 warned against the growth of extremist movements and terrorist groups in France, recommending the implementation of about 40 measures to confront extremism and fundamentalist Islamism. Although extremists are considered a minority, they have great influence in European societies and have become threatening to French values.

The report was prepared after 70 Senatorial interviews with researchers, activists, institutional actors, and political leaders within an investigation committee formed in November 2019 at the behest of the Republicans.

Republicans Senator Jacqueline Eustache-Brinio, author of the report, outlined several measures, including preventing advocates of terrorism and Brotherhood theorists from entering France and confronting extremist thought in state institutions, public and private schools, associations, and cultural and sports clubs.

Precautions

In its report, the French Senate expressed its desire to take some precautionary measures to prevent incitement and separatist speeches, increase supervision of associations and schools, and establish a database of students who pursue home-based studies.

Previous warnings

The French Senate report came several weeks after a German report that highlighted malicious activities of secret cells belonging to the Brotherhood that are supported by Qatari and Turkish funding. These terrorist cells seek to destroy democracy and social cohesion, representing a greater threat than ISIS.

In February, French President Emmanuel Macron warned of “Islamist separatist movements” and approved measures to curb foreign influences on Islam in France, including the funding mosques and imams. He called for strengthening the state to expose extremist behavior, as extremists represent the main group responsible for the series of terrorist attacks that have claimed many lives in the country.

France called for the closure of associations that transmit discriminatory discourse or incite hatred and violence, expressing concern about radical Islamist movements that claim to be peaceful, such as the Salafist movement, which is estimated at 40,000 members in France, or the Brotherhood, which has about 50,000 members in the country. It was also recommended that the state not renew agreements signed with foreign countries to train Imams who intend to preach in the country.

Legal loopholes

Terrorist and extremist groups have exploited laws in European countries such as Germany, Britain and France, which are based on the protection of freedoms, including freedom of belief. These groups have formed a large network through the recruitment of extremists, who could be used to fight in conflict hotspots such as Syria and Iraq.

The debate in France revolves around the state’s leniency with those who spread extremist rhetoric and Islamist activists who lean towards incitement. Western governments have tried to deter extremism through various means, such as censoring social media platforms, but these measures were not enough to stop extremist activities due to legal loopholes.