{"id":132286,"date":"2025-08-27T09:09:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T06:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shiawaves.com\/english\/?p=132286"},"modified":"2025-08-27T09:09:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T06:09:27","slug":"portugals-far-right-chega-sparks-controversy-for-claiming-85-of-refugees-are-muslim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shiawaves.com\/english\/uncategorized\/132286-portugals-far-right-chega-sparks-controversy-for-claiming-85-of-refugees-are-muslim\/","title":{"rendered":"Portugal\u2019s far-right Chega Sparks Controversy for Claiming \u201c85% of Refugees Are Muslim\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A claim by Portugal\u2019s far-right Chega party that \u201c85% of refugees are Muslim\u201d has reignited anti-Islam rhetoric, but UN statistics reveal a very different picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent days, a Chega-affiliated politician asserted on social media that Muslims make up the overwhelming majority of global refugees. The statement, amplified by Euronews, mirrors earlier remarks by party leader Andr\u00e9 Ventura, who has openly called for limiting Muslim presence in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Chega member, Pedro Fraz\u00e3o, repeated the claim, arguing that refugees \u201cavoid Muslim-majority countries\u201d and head primarily to the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, UNHCR data for 2024 paints a more complex reality. The world hosts around 42.7 million refugees, alongside 73.5 million internally displaced people and 8.4 million asylum seekers. The top countries of origin are Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Venezuela, and Ukraine. While the first three are Muslim-majority states, Venezuela and Ukraine are not, meaning refugee demographics are far more diverse than Chega\u2019s narrative suggests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A UN spokesperson told Euroverify that, given the scale of Ukrainian and Venezuelan displacement, the 85% Muslim figure is \u201chighly unlikely.\u201d This underlines how Chega\u2019s claim is more about political messaging than statistical accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, UNHCR figures show that Muslim-majority countries\u2014not Europe\u2014host the bulk of the world\u2019s refugees. Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and Chad are among the largest host nations, with Germany being the only European country in the top seven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts note that displacement is driven primarily by war, economic collapse, and political instability\u2014not religion. By framing the issue in religious terms, Chega risks fueling Islamophobia and deepening social divides in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The facts make clear that refugees, regardless of faith or nationality, are victims of global crises who deserve protection and dignity, free from political exploitation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A claim by Portugal\u2019s far-right Chega party that \u201c85% of refugees are Muslim\u201d has reignited anti-Islam rhetoric, but UN statistics reveal a very different picture. In recent days, a Chega-affiliated politician asserted on social media that Muslims make up the overwhelming majority of global refugees. The statement, amplified by Euronews, mirrors earlier remarks by party …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":132333,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"no","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[{"account":"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329","service":"facebook","timestamp":1756274978,"status":"error"}],"rop_publish_now_status":"done","footnotes":""},"categories":[10050,1],"tags":[14905,14904],"class_list":["post-132286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-portugal","category-uncategorized","tag-allegations-against-muslims","tag-far-right-party"],"yoast_head":"\nPortugal\u2019s far-right Chega Sparks Controversy for Claiming \u201c85% of Refugees Are Muslim\u201d - Shia Waves<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shiawaves.com\/english\/uncategorized\/132286-portugals-far-right-chega-sparks-controversy-for-claiming-85-of-refugees-are-muslim\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Portugal\u2019s far-right Chega Sparks Controversy for Claiming \u201c85% of Refugees Are Muslim\u201d - Shia Waves\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A claim by Portugal\u2019s far-right Chega party that \u201c85% of refugees are Muslim\u201d has reignited anti-Islam rhetoric, but UN statistics reveal a very different picture. 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