TRENDS Research & Advisory, through its Belgium office, participated in the conference — Bridging Divides: Addressing Polarization and Extremism Among Europe’s Youth — organized by the International Movement for Peace & Coexistence (IMPAC), in cooperation with the office of MEP Antonio López-Istúriz White, at the European Parliament in Brussels. This was part of the Center’s efforts to counter extremism by disseminating knowledge.
Vigilance and International Cooperation
TRENDS delivered a keynote address at the conference, presented by researcher Abdulaziz Al Marzooqi. The address emphasized the importance of addressing the growing challenges of polarization and extremism among Europe’s youth.
The address highlighted that these challenges are mainly tied to the growing influence of specific extremist political movements, particularly those linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, which operate through various non-governmental organizations across Europe. He explained that these groups continually seek to sow division in European societies, exploiting narratives and targeting vulnerable groups to serve their own agendas.
The address stressed the need to understand how these structures operate, often hiding behind banners of “progressivism” or “woke” ideologies. It pointed to their severe consequences for Europe’s social fabric. He added that such groups contribute to youth radicalization and undermine integration efforts through financial backing, strategic partnerships, and extremist propaganda.
TRENDS Research & Advisory also called for identifying the sources of power and funding of the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliated organizations, as highlighted in TRENDS’ reports and seminars, to counter their malign influence and safeguard Europe’s values of unity and inclusivity.
The address also underscored the critical role of education in countering extremism, considering it a tool to empower youth with critical thinking skills and resilience against harmful influences. He called for educational reforms that promote openness, dialogue, and deeper understanding of diverse perspectives, pointing to the success of initiatives such as the Brussels Roundtable in advancing anti-indoctrination curricula and extremism-prevention efforts.
TRENDS also reviewed lessons from successful international case studies, most notably the United Arab Emirates’ de radicalization model, which offers valuable insights on how governments, communities, and institutions can cooperate to tackle extremism in Europe. It also warned against failures witnessed in certain regions, where the influence of Brotherhood-linked organizations has deepened polarization rather than fostering unity. It concluded that combating polarization and extremism requires global cooperation, vigilance, and a steadfast commitment to peace, tolerance, and integration to secure a future of unity and progress for Europe’s youth
A Coordinated and Long-Term Strategy
For his part, Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, Governing Member of The Global Imams Council – Canada, and Advisor on Counter-Extremism and Terrorism Affairs at TRENDS Research & Advisory, affirmed that Islamist networks, foremost among them the Muslim Brotherhood, are pursuing a “coordinated and long-term strategy” aimed at infiltrating Europe and undermining its democratic institutions.
Speaking on behalf of TRENDS before the European Parliament in Brussels, Tawhidi stated that this is a patient and strategically escalating campaign “designed to infiltrate and weaken the institutions that uphold European democracy,” warning that these groups “operate according to well-studied plans and are far from random actors.”
He explained that this strategy is built on four main tracks: exploiting the charity sector and NGOs as channels for indoctrination and for receiving foreign funds; political infiltration through proxies claiming to represent communities; influence in universities, unions, and social justice causes; and controlling narratives through media outlets and social media platforms.
Tawhidi noted that these networks constantly change names and slogans to evade oversight, stressing, “Another slogan, another name.” He called for the imposition of “full transparency” on organizations that receive public funds or institutional access and for a Europe-wide investigation to map these extremist networks accurately. He also supported independent Islamic organizations that reject political Islam.
In conclusion, Imam Tawhidi praised the pivotal role of the United Arab Emirates and TRENDS in confronting extremist ideology and promoting intellectual and societal security.
