While the far-right has been spreading anti-Muslim messages for centuries now, the centrist-right (EPP) and liberal parties (LREM) are implementing these policies Farid Hafez | The writer is a visiting professor of International Studies at Williams College, Massachusetts, and a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s The Bridge Initiative. ISTANBUL On a global level, the unanimous vote in the UN to adopt a resolution presented by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to declare March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia was an important step towards increasing awareness of the problem of Islamophobia. But when riveting on the role of European institutions, the picture gets a disfigurement. Besides India currently ruled by the BJP-led government with ultra-hostile anti-Muslim policies and frequent attacks on minorities, it was only two other political actors voicing opposition to the resolution — one was France and the other was a delegate of the European Union (EU). France is pushing its anti-Muslim policies France is –like India– is no surprise if one considers the recent systematic anti-Muslim policies implemented by the Ministry of Interior of Macron’s government. In the name of fighting a ghost called “Islamist Separatism”, a long-time secret policy named “Systematic Obstruction” was implemented that ended with a massive crackdown on France’s Muslim civil society. As many as 24,887 Muslim organizations and businesses were placed on a secret blacklist and under strict monitoring, and 718 Muslim-owned organizations and businesses including at least 4 schools, 37 mosques, 210 businesses, and two organizations were closed. About €46 million ($46.2) were confiscated by the French government. Also, civil society organizations that fight or monitor Islamophobia were closed or dissolved. [1] When this was happening, the EU’s Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) was warning that many counter-terrorism strategies are affecting human rights negatively and Muslims are specifically vulnerable. However, France has been insisting on a deliberate push for its anti-Muslim policies even on a European scale. An event that made more headlines than the Systematic Obstruction policy was when French politicians pushed back against a video published in November 2021 by the Council of Europe. This video aimed at empowering veiled Muslim women –the most vulnerable group– to promote a more open, free, and inclusive society. The video which was a by-product of a workshop against racism was protested by parts of the French government and resulted in the council finally removing the videos. [2] Although the pushback met internal critique, the co-founder of Macron’s La République En Marche! (LREM) party made it clear that there was no space for a positive framing of Muslim women. This step was applauded by both the far-right and centrist-right parties. FULL ARTICLE