A research study by TRENDS Research & Advisory has asserted that the Muslim Brotherhood constitutes an organized force seeking to reshape specific components of the French society through long-term ideological influence and parallel networks of social, religious, and educational institutions.

Prepared by aresearcher Shamsa Al Qubaisi, the study — The Muslim Brotherhood in France: Structures, Influence, and the State’s Response — highlights that the Brotherhood adopts a precise strategy based on operating within legal frameworks. At the same time, it leverages official and religious institutions to expand its presence and promote its societal vision — a vision that prioritizes Sharia law over secular republican values.

The study, published after the declassified French government report in May 2025, notes that the Brotherhood follows a dual-track approach: a public face represented by mosques, schools, and community associations, and a covert dimension managed by an internal leadership that sets the ideological direction. This direction aims to create “parallel Islamic systems” that redefine the concepts of identity, belonging, and citizenship according to values claimed to be religious — values that may conflict with the principles of the French Republic.

The study identifies four pillars of Brotherhood influence in France: religious infrastructure (mosques), educational institutions, digital influence via social media, and local community networks. These pillars shape religious awareness and social behavior, promoting a lifestyle model parallel to the French civil society.

The TREENDS study also highlights the critical role of foreign funding in enabling the Brotherhood to build its institutions in France, warning that these resources are. Although they may appear legal, they contribute to developing ideologically loyal institutional networks. These networks propagate a politicized religious discourse that may be incompatible with the values of integration and openness.