A new 2025 report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has revealed a troubling rise in discrimination against Muslims across Europe, particularly targeting Muslim women who wear the hijab. The findings point to the growing institutionalization of Islamophobia within political, social, and media structures in several European countries.
Islamophobia No Longer Limited to Isolated Incidents
Commenting on the latest FRA report, the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism stated that the data indicate a clear and worrying increase in Islamophobia across Europe in 2025. According to the Observatory, racism against Muslims is no longer confined to sporadic individual incidents, but has become deeply embedded within political institutions and media narratives.
The Observatory warned that this trend reflects a serious erosion of the moral credibility of Europe’s declared values of equality, human rights, and social justice.
Discrimination Rates Reach Concerning Levels
According to the report, 47 percent of Muslims living in the European Union experienced direct discrimination in 2025, compared with 39 percent in 2024, marking a significant year-on-year increase.
The data also show stark differences between countries. Finland recorded the highest level of labor-market discrimination against Muslims, at 63 percent, while in Austria, the number of hate-motivated crimes reached 1,500 cases, the highest level recorded since 2015.
Muslim Women Most Affected
The report highlights that Muslim women — particularly those who wear the hijab — are the most affected by discrimination and exclusion from the labor market. In addition to employment barriers, the data indicate widespread discrimination in other areas of daily life.
According to the findings, 31 percent of Muslim migrants reported experiencing general discrimination, while 74.82 percent said they faced discrimination when attempting to access housing.
Economic Data Contradict Anti-Migrant Narratives
Official data from Spain directly challenge claims that Muslim migrants contribute to economic difficulties. The figures show that Muslim migrants account for 10 percent of social security revenues, while benefiting from only 1 percent of total expenditures, undermining narratives that portray them as an economic burden.
Country-Specific Trends Across Europe
The report also outlines broader national trends:
- In the United Kingdom, anti-Muslim incidents have increased sharply amid political deadlock over formally defining Islamophobia.
- In France, attacks on mosques have risen, often justified under the banner of secularism.
- In Germany, migration has increasingly been framed as a security issue, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been subject to heavy restrictions.
- In Denmark and Austria, racist rhetoric has become increasingly normalized within official and political discourse.
Al-Azhar Calls for Legal Action
In response to the report, the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism described the statistics as a serious warning sign of the institutionalization of discrimination against Muslims in Europe. The Observatory emphasized that these developments reflect systemic patterns rather than isolated acts of prejudice.
Accordingly, Al-Azhar called for the formal recognition of “systemic racism” and urged European authorities to adopt binding legislation that explicitly criminalizes Islamophobia, stressing that such measures are essential to protecting Muslim communities and upholding fundamental human rights.
From: IQNA