Europe

Sweden Tightens Oversight of Funding for Religious and Civil Society Organizations ————————————— Swedish authorities are moving to strengthen oversight of public funding provided to civil society organizations and religious bodies, including groups operating mosques, by linking state support more closely…

Netherlands: Muslims Rally Outside Parliament Against Islamophobia, Discrimination ———————————- Representatives of Muslim organizations and activists gathered outside the Dutch Parliament in The Hague to protest what they described as growing Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims in daily life, calling on…

Over 700 Mosques Across Germany Open Their Doors to Visitors ———————— More than 700 mosques across Germany opened their doors to visitors on October 3 as part of the annual “Open Mosque Day,” coinciding with German Unity Day. The initiative…

Protest Held in Vienna Against Austria’s School Headscarf Ban for Girls Under 14 —————————————————– A demonstration against Austria’s ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf in schools for girls under the age of 14 was held in Vienna on 1 October…

BAMF Estimate Puts Muslim Population in Germany at Up to 7 Million ———————————— A new estimate by Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) puts the number of Muslims in Germany at between 6.6 and 7 million in 2025,…

Italy Bans Face-Covering Veils in Schools and Introduces Limits on Non-Italian-Speaking Students —————————————— The Italian government has approved a new decree banning the wearing of burqas, niqabs, and other face coverings that prevent identification inside schools, while introducing new measures…

Spain’s Lleida Introduces Ban on Burqa and Niqab in Public Spaces —————————— The city of Lleida in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region has approved regulations prohibiting the wearing of face-covering garments such as the burqa and niqab in public areas, with…

Sweden: Three Hijab-Wearing Girls Report Street Harassment in Helsingborg ————————————————- Three young girls wearing hijabs have reported being targeted in separate incidents in Helsingborg, southern Sweden, with authorities investigating at least one case as a possible hate-related offense. According to…

Italy’s Prime Minister Proposes Ban on Face Coverings in Schools, Sparking Debate Over Integration Policies ——————————————— Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans for legislation that would ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs by female students in schools…

Austria’s New Headscarf Ban Sparks Complaints Over Students Excluded From Classes —————————————————— The Islamic Religious Authority in Austria said it had received complaints from families whose daughters were allegedly prevented from returning to class or pressured to remove their headscarves.…