Some Islamist movements, above all networks linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, pursue their goals without violence. They work through civic associations, schools, charities, public funding and access to politicians, building influence inside democratic institutions over decades.
Germany's domestic intelligence service calls this "legalistic Islamism": using the freedoms of a democracy to advance an agenda hostile to it.
For years, Western governments treated this as a debate. Since 2025 that has changed: the United States has designated Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations, and European governments and parliaments have documented the strategy and moved to cut off its funding.
This is about an organized political movement. The great majority of Muslims have nothing to do with it, and many are among its first targets.
Executive Order 14362 directed the Secretaries of State and the Treasury to determine how to impose terrorist sanctions on Muslim Brotherhood chapters that threaten the United States.
Governor Greg Abbott designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) under Texas law, and the state Attorney General has since sued to stop both from operating in Texas. CAIR rejects the designation and is challenging it in federal court.
The State Department designated the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The Treasury designated the Egyptian and Jordanian branches as Specially Designated Global Terrorists for providing material support to Hamas. Secretary Rubio described these as the opening steps in a sustained effort.
The State Department designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood, including its armed wing, as a terrorist organization, citing mass executions of civilians in Sudan's war and support from Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
After a federal judge blocked Governor DeSantis's earlier executive order, Florida passed a new designation law. In September the Governor and Cabinet designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood under it. CAIR is challenging the law in federal court, and the litigation is ongoing.
IFC briefs members of Congress and their staff on how these networks operate, and presses for policy that confronts them while protecting the rights of every American.
A government report presented to President Macron's Defence Council, Muslim Brotherhood and Political Islamism in France, warned of a "bottom-up" strategy at municipal level that threatens national cohesion, with schools, sport and local associations as key targets. It identified Musulmans de France as the movement's national branch, a claim the group denies.
President Macron announced legislation to tighten control of funding channels, allow the assets of Brotherhood-linked structures to be frozen, and extend administrative dissolution to the endowment funds that finance them.
By 157 votes to 101, the Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution asking the European Commission to place the Brotherhood and its leaders on the EU's list of terrorist organizations.
Germany's domestic intelligence agency warned of a creeping Islamist infiltration of politics and society, with the Muslim Brotherhood at the centre of its concern.
On 8 October the Parliament voted 381 to 167 for a resolution calling for full traceability of EU funding, a Commission review of EU money awarded to entities suspected of Brotherhood links, and an assessment by member states of whether Brotherhood-linked groups should be added to the EU terrorist list.
IFC works with Members of the European Parliament and national lawmakers to turn these findings into action, and to make sure public money never funds those working against democratic values.
IFC's claims rest on evidence, and we correct our errors openly and quickly. If you believe anything on this page is inaccurate, please contact us.
"We name extremism for what it is, whoever commits it and whoever excuses it."
IFC Constitution, Article II