Letter to Roberta Metsola

Brussels, 23 May 2025

Dear President Roberta Metsola,

I write on behalf of the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO), the leading European network representing Muslim youth committed to civic engagement, democratic participation, and social cohesion.

We raise an urgent concern: the escalating attacks on our organisation, our members, and the broader right of European Muslim youth to participate in European public life. On 21 May 2025, the French Ministry of the Interior released a report titled “Muslim Brotherhood and Political Islam in France.” Though framed as a security analysis, the document is ideologically motivated, lacking any rigour, and dangerously equates lawful civic participation with undermining national security.

This report reflects a wider trend: European Muslim youth are caught in a no-win situation—labelled as “infiltrators” if they engage in public life, or “separatists” if they engage within their faith-based community. These narratives aim to delegitimise our presence and disqualify us from democratic life.

Let us be clear: FEMYSO is an independent, transparent organisation rooted in the values of democracy, inclusion, and human rights. For over two decades, we have worked with non-Muslim partners to build bridges and encourage European young Muslims to be active citizens. To frame the civic participation of minority youth as a national security threat is not only unjust—it is profoundly dangerous, particularly in an environment where we have seen rising incidents of Islamophobic hate crime.

Indeed, since the report’s release, far-right actors have been further emboldened to target us, including attempts to undermine our participation in the European Youth Event—one of the rare spaces for institutional youth dialogue and a space where all European youth should feel welcome. This is a matter of principle: no citizen should be excluded from public life because of their faith, visible identity, or civic engagement. What is at stake is the integrity of European democracy. We have always been inspired by your consistency in championing the involvement of young people in political processes, emphasising the need to listen to their concerns, actively engage them, and empower them to shape the future of Europe. And we recall your public message asserting that “Europe cannot afford to leave anyone behind. Not least our young people.” and also stating that “Wherever discussions are taking place about young people and their future, they should be there too.”

We therefore urge you to:

• Publicly reaffirm support for inclusive youth participation, including for visibly Muslim young people and organisations
• Address the spread of state-level disinformation and ideological profiling that normalises Islamophobia

A detailed policy brief is attached, outlining the broader implications of this report and the growing securitisation of Muslim civil society in Europe.

In the spirit of your public statements and given the gravity of this situation, we respectfully request an urgent meeting with you to discuss these concerns and explore potential avenues for addressing this issue at the European level. We believe that the European Parliament has a crucial role to play in protecting the rights and freedoms of all its citizens and in combating all forms of discrimination.

At a time of rising extremism, we cannot afford silence. Muslim youth are not a threat—they are an essential part of Europe’s future. We stand ready to work with all who share a vision of a democratic, inclusive Europe.

Sincerely,

Hania Chalal