Paris, France – The French magazine “Marianne” commented on a parliamentary report issued by an inquiry committee entitled: “Islamists use the France Unbowed party as a Trojan horse to enter the National Assembly.”
He asserts that France, despite having a lengthy parliamentary report and a forthcoming bill, still lacks a broad national debate on political Islam. This includes the Muslim Brotherhood and its relationship to political life.
The report was released on Wednesday, after six months of work, and included nearly forty hearings involving three ministers and intelligence officials.
The report contains no “surprises” so much as it reinforces the findings of journalistic investigations published in recent months. Based on intelligence reports, it confirms the existence of sometimes very close ideological ties between certain elected officials in various positions and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The committee relied, among its sources, on statements from the French Directorate General for External Security (DGSE). These statements indicated that this rapprochement is based on three main pillars (which are not detailed here). However, they confirmed that it takes rhetorical, organizational, and political forms that intersect with the agendas of political Islam within the French public sphere.
The report documents how radical Islam projects are expanding across France by “infiltrating” organizations involved in elections.
The findings indicate that these connections often arise from a misjudgment of the true objectives of certain individuals or groups, as well as from traditional electoral calculations that fail to clearly grasp the nature of the prevailing ideology.
The report warns that this “covert and insidious” infiltration could extend to various political currents.
Writer and researcher Omar Youssef Soliman, author of “Partners in Evil,” presented his analysis of a massive 650-page parliamentary report. The report examines the relationship between political Islam and certain political parties. Soliman had previously testified before the parliamentary inquiry committee investigating the links between political Islam and political parties.
The author explains that, during a public hearing held on October 16 and broadcast live on the National Assembly’s website and LCP television, he was subjected to a wave of threats and verbal abuse. However, he chose to go public in order to initiate a public debate and reveal additional information.
Despite his readiness to confront the members of the La France Insoumise party, none of them attended the hearing.
During the session, Suleiman presented a series of what he described as “the most damning” incidents. These included relationships between political figures and activists affiliated with hardline Islamist movements, as well as meetings with leaders of organizations designated as terrorist by the European Union.
He also pointed to the open electoral support of radical imams for the La France Insoumise party. Furthermore, he noted the use of mobilization rhetoric during the 2024 European elections to appeal to voters from Muslim backgrounds.
The parliamentary report concludes that the France Unbowed party is the most vulnerable to infiltration by political Islam. It accuses the party of pursuing an electoral strategy based on appealing to specific voters, leading to instances of “tolerance, and even active support at times, for individuals close to extremist movements.”
The report recommends 32 legislative and regulatory measures to strengthen the fight against political Islam. These measures include stricter oversight of association funding and increased training for local elected officials. Particular emphasis should be placed on the education, community activism, sports, and social media sectors.
In concluding his analysis, Suleiman argues that the absence of the France Unbowed deputies from the hearings reflects a deliberate avoidance of public debate. This comes at a time when campaigns of denunciation and pressure are escalating on social media.
Attention is now focused on the “France Unbowed” party, which is viewed as a political “Trojan horse.” The group is exploiting it through rhetorical convergences and opportunistic alliances. This opens up a broad debate about the dangers of infiltrating legislative institutions under the guise of legitimate political activity.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928 in Egypt by Hassan al-Banna, aims to re-Islamize society and establish an Islamic state according to the Brotherhood’s ideology.
In France, their presence is primarily linked to the Muslim Association of France (MF, formerly known as the Union of Islamic Organizations of France – UOIF, founded in 1983). Experts, intelligence agencies, and government reports often describe it as the French branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Muslim Council of France strongly denies any formal ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. It rejects accusations of infiltration or a foreign political agenda and affirms its commitment to republican values. They signed the Charter of Principles of Islam in France in 2021.
Influence and “penetration” strategy
The criticism focuses on an alleged strategy of infiltration (gradual penetration of institutions and civil society without resorting to violence), aimed at controlling or influencing approximately 139 places of worship (in addition to 68 adjacent ones). These institutions represent 7% of mosques in France and are attended by around 91,000 worshippers on Fridays.
Networks in education (about twenty private schools teaching about 4,200 students), sports, charities and cultural associations, and online advocacy through influencers.
The alleged goal: to promote a strict interpretation of Islam, challenge secularism (through the concept of “Islamophobia,” which is accused of being manipulated), and encourage social isolation, all while presenting themselves as moderates.
A declassified government report from May 2025 (“The Muslim Brotherhood and Political Islam in France”), commissioned by the executive branch and discussed in the Defense Council, described the movement as a “threat to national cohesion.” The report indicates that this threat stems from popular (local and community-based) political Islam.
The report concluded that the Muslim Brotherhood, which is losing influence in the Middle East, is focusing its efforts in Europe. These efforts are managed through a shadowy structure comprising a core group of approximately 400 to 1,000 activists.
Critical viewpoints and defenses are offered on this matter, with experts such as Florence Bergeau-Blaquer and Gilles Kepel pointing to a subversive project disguised behind moderate rhetoric.
