Western Pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood Grows as Washington Pushes Europe Forward

 

Muslim Brotherhood 

Western Pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood Grows as Washington Pushes Europe Forward

The new American approach towards the Muslim Brotherhood indicates a new phase of hardening towards the group's branches around the world, especially in Europe.In many European countries, discussions are escalating about how to confront the group, which is classified as terrorist in many countries, legally and politically.

Last January, the United States designated the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon as a terrorist organization, a shift that was also reflected in its 2026 counterterrorism strategy, which was published by the White House this month.
The American strategy presented an unprecedented vision that directly links the Muslim Brotherhood to the intellectual structure from which terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Hamas emerged.

Additional measures and an eye on Europe

This decision is likely to be followed by additional measures against the group’s branches, according to Lorenzo Vidino, director of the Extremism Program at George Washington University, in an article reviewed by Al-Ain News on the center’s website.
These measures are sparking heated and serious debate in political, intelligence, and law enforcement circles in Europe, and draft resolutions to ban the group have already been submitted in several European capitals, reflecting a growing awareness of its danger.

More recently, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered a clear analysis of the prevailing dynamics, not only in his country, which is arguably the most stringent on the continent in its confrontation with the Muslim Brotherhood, but also in other European countries.

In this regard, Lorenzo Vidino, director of the Extremism Program at George Washington University, says: "There is no doubt that the US position gives a boost to strong measures against the Brotherhood in Europe, and I think there is also a reasonable expectation that the US may designate some Brotherhood organizations that are present in Europe." 

He added: “In Europe, it cannot be ignored that the Americans take certain positions, and there are parties in European circles concerned with policymaking, law enforcement and intelligence who analyze the issue of the Muslim Brotherhood in the same way as the Donald Trump administration.”

He pointed out that this negative view of the Muslim Brotherhood is not limited to the more conservative circles within the European political spectrum. On the contrary, it is extremely common within intelligence agencies, law enforcement, and even judicial authorities across the continent.

All intelligence and law enforcement reports in European countries agree on a very negative view of the Muslim Brotherhood, and have sometimes pointed to direct or indirect links between the group and international terrorism.
But the framework used by the European authorities also included the group’s role in hindering social integration and cohesion, human rights, and democracy.

growing awareness

In Spain, for example, the National Intelligence Center (CNI) gave its opinion in a 2020 court case in which a court refused to grant citizenship to a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The center said, "'J.' is an active member of the extremist Muslim Brotherhood, an organization with a wide-ranging international structure."

As the Belgian State Security Service stated in its 2020 annual report, "The Muslim Brotherhood and its highly qualified members are often found within many non-profit organizations and other groups in all areas of society. This makes it more influential than one might expect given its limited membership."

He explained that "the discourse, beliefs, and vision adopted internally within the group in the long term are incompatible with the proper functioning of the constitutional system and democracy. It is an extremist movement."

The Austrian intelligence agency (BVT) says, “The Muslim Brotherhood does not keep membership records in order to keep its membership record secret, and seeks to establish a totalitarian system that does not guarantee the sovereignty of the people or the principles of freedom and equality.”
She argued that "such a fundamental position is incompatible with the legal and social standards of the Republic of Austria."

The Swedish Security Service believes that "the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood conflict with fundamental freedoms and rights in Sweden, and its strategy in the Western world is based on isolation and seclusion." 

Washington’s latest counterterrorism strategy reflects a major shift, linking the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideological framework to broader extremist narratives and signaling expanded international scrutiny.#Politics #CounterTerrorism #Analysis #MuslimBrotherhood pic.twitter.com/Oq09fd3jp9

— Guillaume Zelim (@GuillaumeZ_) May 19, 2026