France Shuts Down the European Institute of Human Sciences: A Blow to Brotherhood Influence
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Fatima Saif
- . September 22, 2025
- . Update: September 22, 2025 6:41 pm
The recent dissolution of the European Institute of Human Sciences (Institut Européen des Sciences Humaines, IESH) in France marks a decisive moment in Europe’s struggle against the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood. Founded in the early 1990s, IESH publicly portrayed itself as a center for Arabic language teaching and imam training, but investigations revealed a deeper role as a platform for ideological recruitment and Brotherhood-aligned indoctrination.
The Dual Nature of IESH
While IESH presented a façade of academic respectability, French authorities argued that its programs and leadership maintained direct links with the Muslim Brotherhood. Reports highlighted that the institute concealed foreign funding, primarily from Qatar, and promoted ideological content that clashed with republican values. Police raids in late 2024 uncovered suspected financial irregularities, while state reviews concluded that the institute legitimized Islamist currents that could radicalize youth
A Wider European Awakening
The French government’s decision to dissolve IESH in September 2025, following the freezing of its assets earlier that year, reflects a growing European awareness of how the Brotherhood exploits academic and cultural institutions. Similar measures have been seen in Austria, where Brotherhood-linked mosques were closed, and in Germany, where imam training programs now aim to reduce foreign ideological dependence
Not Islam, but Politicized Islamism
France has been careful to frame its actions as targeting not Islam, but the Brotherhood’s project of politicizing religion. The 2021 anti-separatism law and the dissolution of IESH are presented as safeguards against foreign interference and ideological capture. Officials stress that Muslim communities remain free to practice and study their faith, but within frameworks that uphold transparency and democratic values.
A Turning Point for European Policy
The closure of IESH symbolizes more than the end of one institution. It represents a European shift toward vigilance against long-term ideological strategies, ensuring that academic façades cannot mask political agendas. For Muslim communities, the challenge ahead lies in building religious education that is both authentic and transparent, free from external exploitation.
