The French government will begin using anti-terror-style financial tools to combat Islamist infiltration following revelations that the Muslim Brotherhood has been embedding operatives across France and Europe for decades. President Emmanuel Macron has ordered the creation of a full national plan by summer’s end to counter this growing internal threat.
According to Le Parisien, the French state will now freeze financial assets of Islamic groups suspected of undermining republican values—tactics previously reserved for terrorist networks. A specialized branch of the national tax agency will investigate suspicious donations, particularly those channeled through charities with Islamist ties.
President Macron also tasked his government with establishing clear legal criteria for banning Islamist organizations. Qur’anic private schools will come under added scrutiny, especially for promoting anti-republican ideologies. Macron emphasized that new legislation must be prepared by the end of summer and in force before year’s end.
These moves follow a May report detailing how the Muslim Brotherhood placed hundreds of agents within French institutions, mosques, schools, and associations to build a parallel Islamist society and undermine the West from within. The report cited over 100 private Islamic schools and nearly 300 associations tied directly to the Brotherhood in France alone.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned that the Brotherhood’s ultimate goal is to push France toward Sharia law. National Rally leader Marine Le Pen welcomed the announcement but called the proposed measures insufficient. She blamed unchecked immigration and communitarianism for creating fertile ground for Islamism, adding that France needs a far more aggressive legislative response.
Macron is expected to address the Muslim community separately, in an attempt to differentiate between devout Muslims and those advancing Islamist agendas. Critics suggest the gesture is a political maneuver to offset backlash while still appearing tough on extremism.
