Al Jazara
روایت خاورمیانه 
The European People's Party (EPP) on June 30 in Vienna, during a political gathering, passed a resolution that views the civic participation of Muslims as a threat. This resolution is somewhat a testament to the party's expanding approach to "political Islam" and reflects French conspiracy theories about the "influence of Islamists."
Content of the Resolution and Its Consequences
The resolution, titled "The Influence of Political Islam in European Democratic Processes," has been approved by the party's leadership and thus carries special weight. This action reflects the collective priorities of the party's leadership and goes beyond an individual initiative. In practice, this resolution could also spill over into domestic policies, and its impacts will extend beyond transnational efforts at the European level.
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The European People's Party, which forms the largest parliamentary group in the European Parliament, is traditionally seen as an umbrella for Christian right-wing and conservative parties. However, the dominance of German Christian Democrats in this party, especially under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, is notable. This dominance somewhat empowers smaller parties to seek support from Germany.
Engagement with the Muslim Community and Its Risks
The aforementioned resolution specifically views Muslims who are active in civil society with suspicion, considering them as individuals who attempt to speak against racism through legal means. This approach somewhat reverses the presumption of innocence for Muslims, so that their institutions can be dissolved without any violent actions and their assets confiscated.
By proposing this resolution, the European People's Party presents itself as a European advocate of "United in Diversity," while explicitly stating that it seeks to ensure "equality among citizens" with an emphasis on individual rights. This statement somewhat reflects a lack of support for the collective expression of Islam and undermines the concept of religious freedom.
This resolution somewhat seeks to expand the doctrine of "defensive democracy" of Germany, which was created to protect democratic order against totalitarian movements. However, this is not the first initiative of its kind, as there have been previous efforts to criminalize the Muslim civil society in Europe.
Overall, the passage of this resolution could have serious repercussions for Muslim communities in Europe and could pave the way for the expansion of anti-Islamic attitudes in public policies.
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