The increase of anti-Muslim prejudice in Europe

According to a survey conducted by the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) of the European Union, nearly 50% of Muslim participants reported having recently been the victim of discrimination.

9,600 Muslims from 13 EU member states participated in the survey, which revealed that racism and discrimination permeate most facets of their lives. These individuals stated that their kids were subjected to bullying at school or that they faced discrimination when it came to employment prospects and home ownership or rental opportunities. This survey was carried out prior to the October 7, 2023, outbreak of the war in Gaza.

One in two Muslims in the EU experience racism and discrimination on a daily basis, according to a report by FRA. In the European Union, Muslims make up the second-largest religious group. In 2016, there were 26 million Muslims on this continent, according to a Pew Research Center report.

The 13 member countries under review in this report exhibit notable differences. 71% of Muslims in Austria, the most anti-Islamic nation, have encountered harassment and discrimination. And after Austria, Germany and Finland are next in line. This report found that compared to other EU nations, racial discrimination was less common in Spain and Italy.

According to the research, young Muslims and women who wear the hijab generally suffer the most harm in European nations. European Union citizens' anti-Islamic behavior is influenced by their skin color and Muslim ethnic background in addition to their religious beliefs.

The main areas where anti-Islamism manifests itself are in housing and employment rights. This survey indicates that 39% of Muslims encounter discrimination at work and 39% while looking for a job, compared to 31% and 23% in 2016. This figure rises significantly for hijab-wearing women, who experience discrimination in the job market in 45% of cases.

Another was a concerning educational gap discovered by the European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency. Compared to the rest of the EU, Muslims are three times more likely to drop out of school early (30% vs. 9.6%).

Experts claim that this raises the likelihood of poverty because 31% of Muslim households surveyed reported having financial difficulties, compared to 19% of all European households. According to the European Union Agency, nearly one in three Muslims (27%) experience racial harassment. According to the survey, half of people who were stopped by the police in the previous year think that they were the targets of racial profiling.