A new report commissioned by the French government has revealed a plan by the Muslim Brotherhood to undermine France’s secular ideals. The report was delivered to President Emmanuel Macron and noted that the Brotherhood aims to establish itself in France’s essential institutions like schools, mosques and NGOs in the long term, seeking to create negative policies regarding secularism and gender equality, instead of using violence.

The Brotherhood exploits vulnerable groups like children and immigrants in an effort to create generations of ideological beliefs. The Brotherhood seeks to establish themselves in French society through educational and associations, presenting themselves as a moderate entity and publicly supporting moderate stances while privately espousing extremist ideologies.

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The report also reveals systematic infiltration of municipal councils and educational institutions, raising questions about the erosion of France’s secular identity. The Federation of Muslims of France (FMF), which has been identified as the main French emanation of the Muslim Brotherhood, has taken control of multiple places of worship and associations in France.

Another issue is foreign funding especially from countries such as Qatar and Turkey that enable the Brotherhood to expand their influence. This foreign funding also brings the transnational nature of the threat and the need for a strategic response to light.

French authorities seized assets worth 25 million euros connected to the Muslim Brotherhood as part of a terrorism and extremism investigation. The investigation also included the confiscation of 20 private donation funds and identified around 10 networks of the Muslim Brotherhood from Lille to Marseille including important sites like Paris and Bordeaux. The investigation has revealed extensive financing activities deemed suspicious.

Human Rights Implications, Especially for Women

The implications of the actions of the Brotherhood are momentous for human rights particularly for women. The Brotherhood’s conservative interpretation of Islamic law often directly conflicts with France’s position on gender equality and women’s rights. For example, the Brotherhood has challenged international declarations on women’s rights particularly around the provisions granting women sexual freedom and equal rights in marriage.

In France, this ideological position is expressed in attempts to control women’s dress and behavior, thereby undermining the secular principles that protect individual freedoms. While the government considered implementing proposals such as a ban on headscarves for girls under 15 in public places, this elicited debates about religious freedom and whether certain policies challenge and ultimately stigmatize certain Muslim communities.

For Example, A Lille administrative court overturned France’s cut in public funding for Averroes, the country’s largest Muslim high school, finding authorities didn’t justify terminating the school’s contract. The authorities pointed to administrative and financial issues and that some of Averroes’ teachings didn’t align with French republican values. The Lille court concluded that the violations were not substantial, such as refusing an inspection and were not enough to justify the termination. The school founded in 2003 saw the decision as a vindication of the rule of law and is happy to continue operating with state support. The lawyer remains optimistic that the prefecture will choose not to challenge the ruling.

While the influence of the Brotherhood endangers national unity, responses to the Brotherhood should consider security issues while upholding civil liberties. It is important responses to the Brotherhood do not inadvertently marginalize Muslim communities if social cohesion is to be maintained and the values of the Republic preserved.

These activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in France pose a significant challenge to the secular nature of the nation and to the structure of French society. To handle this challenge it is required to confront the inherent challenge of balancing national security and human rights.