Swedish MEP submits “mosque ban” motion to European Parliament

A Muslim performs namaz. Photo: open sources

On March 3, 2026, European Parliament member Charlie Weimers of Sweden’s Sweden Democrats put forward an initiative to restrict the construction of new mosques in EU countries, arguing that this is necessary to counter radicalization and extremism. European Conservative reported this.

The politician said that the expansion of mosques and related Islamic centers should be opposed more actively at the national, regional, and pan-European levels. In his words, in a number of cases such institutions have become platforms for preaching radical ideas and recruiting supporters for extremist organizations.

Weimers also noted that in some European countries authorities have already shut down mosques and Islamic centers after information emerged that they were being used for radicalization, terrorist financing, or the recruitment of militants. These examples, he argued, point to the need for stricter oversight.

As part of his initiative, the MEP collected signatures from 37 politicians from 17 EU member states, including representatives from Denmark, Estonia, Germany, and Italy. A number of European right-wing politicians supported the proposal, claiming that the growth of Islamic organizations in Europe is affecting the cultural and social situation in the Union’s countries.

At the same time, observers note that the chances of such restrictions being adopted in the European Parliament remain low for now. Even narrower initiatives – such as ending funding for structures suspected of ties to radical Islamist organizations – have previously failed to gain broad support among European officials.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a Catholic human-rights organization warned that a new escalation of the conflict could push Christian communities in the Middle East to the brink of disappearance.

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