The West must wake up and take concrete action against the Muslim Brotherhood.
That is the message I heard repeatedly over the past few days from government officials, counter-extremism experts, and policymakers in the United Arab Emirates. Their conclusion was clear — Western democracies can no longer afford to underestimate the Muslim Brotherhood. They must recognize the threat it poses, consider designating it as a terrorist organization, and take meaningful steps to prevent its ideological and institutional expansion.
What struck me most was the contrast between Europe and much of the Arab world. In several Arab countries, the Muslim Brotherhood has long been banned or designated as a terrorist organization. Yet in Europe, it continues to operate, build influence, expand networks, and benefit from a level of political and societal naivety that would be difficult to imagine elsewhere.
The Brotherhood understands perfectly how democratic societies function. It knows how to navigate institutions, build influence through civil society organizations, establish educational and religious networks, and shape public discourse over the long term. While many European leaders still view the issue through a narrow security lens, the Brotherhood has adopted a much broader strategy of ideological and societal penetration.
This is why the debate surrounding the Muslim Brotherhood should become a major issue in France ahead of the 2027 presidential election. It touches on some of the most fundamental questions facing our country — national cohesion, integration, secularism, foreign influence, political Islam, security, and the resilience of our democratic institutions.
During my recent visit to Abu Dhabi, I met with Emirati officials, counter-extremism experts from Mohamed bin Zayed University, and Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, one of the leading voices promoting coexistence and interfaith dialogue in the region.
Their assessment was consistent — the Muslim Brotherhood is not merely a religious movement. It is a transnational political project that seeks to gain influence within state institutions, shape public opinion, and ultimately acquire political power.
Over the past two decades, the United Arab Emirates has undertaken one of the most comprehensive campaigns in the Arab world against the Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE’s concerns intensified during the 1990s and early 2000s when the Brotherhood’s local affiliate, Al-Islah, began recruiting members within schools, universities, and government institutions. The Arab Spring of 2011 further reinforced these concerns when Brotherhood-affiliated movements gained power and influence across the region.
Equally concerning for Emirati authorities is the role played by Qatar, which has provided financial, political, and media support to Brotherhood-affiliated organizations throughout the Middle East. Through Al Jazeera and other channels of influence, Qatar has actively promoted Islamist narratives and personalities across the region.
The writer is the Paris-based Executive Director of European Affairs for the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).