European Parliament Backs Call to Assess Muslim Brotherhood for Terrorist Listings

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The European Parliament on Thursday backed a resolution calling on European Union member states to assess whether individuals and organizations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood should be added to the bloc’s joint terrorist list.

The resolution passed by 381 votes to 167, urging EU countries to provide information to enable an assessment of the Brotherhood’s leaders, structures, and affiliated networks to determine whether they meet the criteria for terrorist designation.

The proposed review should extend beyond formal organizations to include alleged front organizations, financial networks, youth groups, and ideological platforms linked to the movement, the resolution stated.

The European Commission was also asked to provide a comprehensive overview of cases in which EU funds had been awarded to individuals or organizations associated with the Muslim Brotherhood.

The European Parliament expressed “deep concern at the strategies of influence” pursued by the Brotherhood and its supporters. It described the movement as “a political project based on the primacy of religious norms over common law,” arguing that this was incompatible with democratic principles, the rule of law, and equality between citizens.

For years, European officials and experts have raised concerns about the movement’s potential impact on social cohesion and democratic institutions. Analysts have also questioned its claims of non-violence.

The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, is banned in several Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The United States has also designated certain branches of the movement, including those in Egypt and Jordan.

The resolution calls for further assessment and information gathering; it does not, by itself, automatically designate all individuals or organizations associated with the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorists.