The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, was established as a counterweight to the growing Westernization of Egypt under British rule. Although there is disagreement regarding the exact date of the group’s founding in Europe, most agree that it began in the 1960s when leaders such as Said Ramadan and other migrants fled and settled in Europe and started establishing networks to spread their ideology without opposition from European governments. Considered the birthplace of the Islamist ideology, European countries face challenges from such groups seeking to spread their twisted version of Islam throughout the continent’s social and political landscapes, transforming European countries into their ideal society.

In more recent years, these Islamist groups have been in a position to spread and undermine the authority of various European nations in a more proactive rather than reactive manner. The majority of European Union member nations are still reluctant to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization; the designation is still subject to debate. However, European governments, once hesitant to act against Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, are slowly realizing the threats posed by the group and are gradually breaking down the lenient environment that once allowed these organizations to operate with relative impunity.

1. Government Responses to the Muslim Brotherhood

Austria

Considered to be the first European nation to ban the Muslim Brotherhood as part of its anti-terrorism law in June 2021, the Austrian government has been at the forefront of the fight against the Islamist ideology practiced by the Brotherhood and affiliated groups.[1] The Austrian government has taken a series of measures to counter political Islam, which it identified as one of the main threats the country faces. On 27 February, the People’s Party, Social Democratic Party, and Liberty Party announced the successful conclusion of negotiations to form the country’s first-ever three-party ruling coalition. The coalition also finalized the details of its government program and pledged to tackle religious extremism and radicalization. The newly formed government plans to widen the role of an Islamist extremism watchdog known for exposing the Muslim Brotherhood’s activities in Europe as part of the agreement to form a new government.[2] In the coalition deal, the ruling parties warned about the “worrying tendencies” of religious extremism and they plan to tackle it by expanding Austria’s Documentation Centre for Political Islam.

Germany

The German government seems to be adopting the Austrian model. In late January, the German Parliament’s Interior Affairs Committee discussed a proposed bill to ban the Muslim Brotherhood in Germany. The bill, “Ensuring Long-Term Internal Security: Prioritizing the Fight Against Crime, Terrorism, and Antisemitism,” was introduced by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The legislation calls for a definitive ban on “Islamic and anti-Semitic organizations” while ensuring that any measures comply with the rule of law. The Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliated entities are explicitly named as the main targets of the ban.[3]

The legislative push comes amid Germany’s broader crackdown on Islamist extremism and irregular migration. In September 2024, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced the introduction of temporary border controls along all of Germany’s land borders, following the Solingen stabbing attack in August 2024.[4] Faeser described the measure as an essential step to reduce irregular immigration and safeguard against Islamist terrorism and severe crime, stating that 30,000 people had been denied admission since October 2023 due to fraudulent or missing documentation. In addition, the German government started deportations of criminal asylum seekers to Afghanistan, a move that had been postponed for years owing to Berlin’s unwillingness to recognize the Taliban administration. Other security measures include reducing payments for refugees destined for deportation, prohibiting weapons at large public gatherings, and expanding police use of facial identification software.[5] Moreover, the Munich car-ramming attack fueled tensions over immigration and national security, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defending the border security policies while confirming that the identified suspect would face prosecution and eventual deportation to Afghanistan, despite the legal complexities of deporting individuals to Taliban-controlled territories.[6]

France

While decisions taken by the French government are often blown out of proportion, the key goal of combatting Islamism is to somehow counter the ideology, such as by banning the hijab and abaya. The underlying message is clear: France, like Austria and Germany, is leading the charge against these groups and the propagation of their twisted ideologies throughout Europe despite their not being recognized as terrorists.

In May 2024, the French government launched an official investigative inquiry into political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood’s presence in France. Senior officials, including the Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs, were tasked with assessing the Brotherhood’s structures, discourse, and transnational connections across Europe. The inquiry, set to deliver its findings by autumn 2025, aims to provide an evidence-based evaluation of the group’s activities while aligning the government’s counter-separatism policies with emerging threats.[7] Building on these efforts, earlier this year, the French government adopted a series of stringent security measures to confront the perceived danger posed by the Muslim Brotherhood. These measures include canceling contracts with suspicious educational institutions, increasing surveillance of religious associations and private schools, and developing specialist imam training programs to disrupt funding sources linked to extremism and ensure religious teachings align with governmental principles.[8] Beyond financial restrictions, France has tightened immigration regulations by refusing to renew residency permits for prominent Brotherhood figures, such as Hamed Jablah, who established the Brotherhood’s French branch in 1983 and was expelled in March 2024.[9]

Based on French intelligence reports, the Muslim Brotherhood has expanded within the country, and it is estimated that its membership has doubled from 50,000 in 2019 to nearly 100,000 by 2024.[10] The group’s ideological expansion is evident in what French authorities term a “cultural Islamization” strategy, reflected in the increased visibility of Islamic attire such as the hijab and abaya, growing religious demands in workplaces and public spaces, and the rise of halal commerce. French security agencies warn that this ideological infiltration extends beyond religious communities, influencing political discourse and policymaking. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin specifically cited judges, elected officials, and academics as groups at risk of unknowingly cooperating with the Brotherhood’s agenda, describing the group as an “insidious enemy” that will gradually seek to transform key segments of French society.[11]

United Kingdom

The UK, considered to be the most lenient of the countries mentioned above, is often seen as a haven for the Muslim Brotherhood to operate without worrying about being prosecuted. The failure of the government of then-Prime Minister David Cameron to classify the group as a terrorist organization in 2014 is often considered the starting point for its accelerated growth in Britain. However, a change in leniency is evident. In March 2024, Communities Secretary Michael Gove named five groups that would be assessed under the new government definition of extremism, including the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood that Gove described as an international and complex network of Islamist organizations.[12] The Brotherhood’s approach in the UK remains unchanged, operating through a web of organizations that claim to represent Muslim communities while carefully concealing their true affiliations. These organizations, ranging from charities to educational institutions, function under neutral names that would hardly raise suspicion but serve a larger purpose. Their influence is cultivated gradually, ensuring that Islamist ideals become embedded in society over time while avoiding direct confrontation. While the MAB rejects any affiliation with the Brotherhood, they do not engage in overt political activity; instead, they embed themselves within local institutions to advance their long-term objectives subtly and deliberately.[13]

2. Analysis of the Government Responses

As aforementioned, although various European governments have taken action against the group, the ongoing absence of the designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization by the European Union or by any individual European country complicates the standing of this group. The lack of unified acknowledgment has left the issue of anti-Islam rhetoric to reach unprecedented levels, and the influence of these groups and their ideologies have contributed to many, if not all, Jihadist attacks in Europe. While the designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group is still contested, without exception, all European security services hold a highly negative view of the Muslim Brotherhood throughout the continent. However, the designation of the group would not guarantee safety across Europe; it would simply compel the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups to operate covertly, evading detection and using tunnels of secrecy. The collaboration between EU member states toward efforts to combat terrorism would bolster better chances, following current policies pursued by Austria followed by France and Germany. Coordinated counterterrorism initiatives in Europe, along with the collective designation of the group and its affiliates as a terrorist organization, would strengthen efforts to combat terrorism across the continent.

While trendlines indicate the decline of the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide, it nevertheless maintains a substantial presence in Europe through its branches and affiliations. The Islamist goal of undermining the foundations of Western nations is still apparent, and they use the symbolic power of Islam as a means to achieving their own objectives by exploiting the growing number of Muslim immigrants in Europe and employing “underground” tactics aimed at shaking up the liberal order on an unprecedented scale. In response, certain European governments have taken more proactive rather than reactive measures in dealing with the threat of Islamism and increasingly tightening restrictions on the Muslim Brotherhood, with some more than others. Despite all that, the Muslim Brotherhood continues to cast a shadow over Europe, with ongoing activities aimed at spreading the Islamist ideology and altering the social and political structures of European countries.

[1] Jean-Paul Garraud, “Muslim Brotherhood Officially Classified a Terrorist Organisation,” European Parliament, August 6, 2021, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2021-003684_EN.html.

[2] Tim Stickings, “Austria to Boost ‘Political Islam’ Watchdog in Coalition Deal,” The National, February 28, 2025, https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2025/02/28/austria-to-boost-political-islam-watchdog-in-coalition-deal/.

[3] “German Parliament Debates Muslim Brotherhood Ban,” Shafaq News, January 31, 2025, https://shafaq.com/en/World/German-parliament-debates-Muslim-Brotherhood-ban.

[4] Guy Chazan,  “Germany Extends Temporary Controls to All Its Land Borders,” Financial Times, September 9, 2024, https://www.ft.com/content/8e94c7bb-261d-4258-93ee-96c284433ed8.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Deborah Cole, “Munich Car Attack Believed to Have Had Islamist Motive, Says Prosecutor,” The Guardian, February 14, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/14/munich-car-attack-believed-to-have-had-islamist-motive-says-prosecutor.

[7] Walaa Aly, “France Launches Extensive Investigation Into Muslim Brotherhood Activities,” Egypt Today, May 7, 2024, https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/132107/France-launches-extensive-investigation-into-Muslim-Brotherhood-activities.

[8] “New Measures by France Against Muslim Brotherhood,” MENA Research Center, January 28, 2025, https://www.mena-researchcenter.org/new-measures-by-france-against-muslim-brotherhood/.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Margarita Arredondas, “France Grapples With Muslim Brotherhood Expansion,” Atalayar, May 14, 2024, https://www.atalayar.com/en/articulo/politics/france-grapples-with-muslim-brotherhood-expansion/20240514071609199990.html.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Paul Seddon and Dominic Casciani, “Michael Gove Names Groups as He Unveils Extremism Definition,” BBC,  March 14, 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68564577.

[13] “The Muslim Brotherhood in Britain: Analysis of Recent Sanctions,” Counter Extremism Project, January 13, 2025, https://www.counterextremism.com/blog/muslim-brotherhood-britain-analysis-recent-sanctions.