{{Short description|European Muslim student organization}} The '''Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations''' ('''FEMYSO''') is a pan-European Islamic organisation based in Brussels, Belgium,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Simon |first=Corentin |last2=Lillon |first2=Gaëtan |date=2025-06-08 |title=Un rapport indique que les Frères musulmans s’infiltrent en Belgique pour imposer un islam radical: les personnes accusées répondent |trans-title=A report indicates that the Muslim Brotherhood is infiltrating Belgium to impose radical Islam: those accused respond |url=http://www.rtl.be/actu/belgique/societe/un-rapport-indique-que-les-freres-musulmans-sinfiltrent-en-belgique-pour-imposer/2025-06-08/article/752518 |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=RTL Info |language=fr}}</ref> representing 32 Muslim youth organisations across 22 European countries.<ref>{{cite news |title=European diversity campaign celebrating Hijab ended after French backlash |author=Joseph Hammond |url=https://religionnews.com/2021/11/08/european-diversity-campaign-celebrating-hijab-ended-after-french-backlash/ |publisher=Religion News Service |date=8 November 2021 |accessdate=7 July 2023}}</ref> FEMYSO is a member of the European Students' Union, which considers it the ''de facto'' voice of Muslim youth in Europe.<ref>{{cite web |title=Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations |author= |url=https://esu-online.org/members/femyso/ |publisher=European Students' Union |accessdate=7 July 2023}}</ref> It has been accused of having links with the Muslim Brotherhood.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-05-21 |title=Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups tried to influence EU: Report |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/muslim-brotherhood-eu-report-freedom-relgion-campaign/ |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Öztürk |first=Timour |date=2021-11-03 |title="La liberté est dans le hidjab" : retour sur la campagne du Conseil de l'Europe qui fait polémique |trans-title=‘Freedom lies in the hijab’: a look back at the Council of Europe's controversial campaign |url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/la-liberte-est-dans-le-hidjab-retour-sur-la-campagne-du-conseil-de-l-europe-qui-fait-polemique-5224927 |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=France Inter |language=fr}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-08-17 |title=Paris s'agace auprès de Bruxelles de son soutien renouvelé à une association proche des Frères musulmans |trans-title=Paris complains to Brussels about its renewed support for an association close to the Muslim Brotherhood |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/bruxelles-continue-la-promotion-d-une-association-proche-des-freres-musulmans-pourtant-denoncee-par-la-france-20220817 |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Le Figaro |language=fr}}</ref>
==Controversies==
===Closeness to the Muslim Brotherhood=== FEMYSO has been accused of being linked with the Muslim Brotherhood and of being one of its main relays in Europe.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> One of the organisation's former leaders is Intissar Kherigi, the daughter of Rached Ghannouchi, who headed the Tunisian Islamist Ennahdha party (inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood). While holding responsibilities within FEMYSO, Kherigi participated in 2011 in the preparation of a joint report with the Council of Europe entitled: "Combating Islamophobia through Intercultural and Interreligious Work". This document also included a statement by the Swiss theologian and grandson of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Tariq Ramadan.<ref name=":1" />
FEMYSO has strongly denied any such links,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |title=FEMYSO responds to false allegations on links to Muslim Brotherhood |author= |url=https://femyso.org/femyso-responds-to-false-allegations-on-links-to-muslim-brotherhood/ |publisher={{No self link |FEMYSO}} |date=8 March 2019 |accessdate=7 July 2023}}</ref> with its president, Hania Chalal, responding that "FEMYSO is not associated, either structurally or ideologically, with any association".<ref name=":3" /> In 2023, it was revealed that a campaign, commissioned and financed by the United Arab Emirates, was orchestrated by a Swiss company named "Alp Services" specialising in "dark PR", damaging and often destroying the reputation of hundreds of prominent European Muslims by spreading baseless rumours.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=David D. Kirkpatrick |title=The Dirty Secrets of a Smear Campaign |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/04/03/the-dirty-secrets-of-a-smear-campaign |date=March 27, 2023 |accessdate=July 7, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Dit schimmige bedrijf vernietigde reputaties van Europese moslims |language=nl |trans-title=This shadowy company destroyed the reputations of European Muslims |author=Wilmer Heck and Andreas Kouwenhoven |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2023/07/07/dit-schimmige-bedrijf-vernietigde-met-succes-de-reputaties-van-europese-moslims-a4169074 |newspaper=NRC Handelsblad |date=July 7, 2023 |accessdate=July 7, 2023}}</ref>
In May 2025, FEMYSO was mentioned in a French intelligence report on the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in the country, entitled "Muslim Brotherhood and Political Islamism in France".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brandstaetter |first=Maxime |last2=Revenaz |first2=Pauline |date=2025-05-20 |title="Une menace très claire": les Frères musulmans visés par un rapport dévoilé ce mercredi |trans-title=‘A very clear threat’: the Muslim Brotherhood targeted by a report unveiled on Wednesday |url=https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/gouvernement/une-menace-tres-claire-les-freres-musulmans-vises-par-un-rapport-devoile-ce-mercredi_AN-202505200802.html |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=BFMTV |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-21 |title=Report warns of Muslim Brotherhood bid to reshape French society from within |url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20250521-report-warns-of-muslim-brotherhood-push-to-reshape-french-society-from-within |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=RFI |language=en}}</ref> According to this report, FEMYSO is the "youth branch of the Council of European Muslims (CEM)" and acts as a "training structure for high-potential executives of the movement, in which French activists are very active". The report also accused FEMYSO of "seeking to present itself as a moderate player with recognised expertise on Islamophobia and religious freedoms" while "promoting to MPs an evolution of freedom of religion, including tougher legislation on blasphemy" and by "opposing the appointment of a European Commissioner for European values, in charge of migration".<ref>{{Cite book|language=fr|author=French Ministry of the Interior|title=Frères musulmans et islamisme politique en France|trans-title=Muslim Brotherhood and political Islamism in France|year=2025|pages=31-33|url=https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/actualites/dossiers-de-presse/publication-du-rapport-freres-musulmans-et-islamisme-politique-en|access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref>
===Promotion of the wearing of the hijab=== In 2021, FEMYSO launched a campaign encouraging the wearing of the hijab, which included slogans such as "Beauty is in diversity as freedom is in hijab" and "Joy in the hijab". The campaign, managed by the Council of Europe and co-funded by the European Commission, was widely criticised in the French political class, leading to its removal from Twitter and from the Council of Europe's website.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-11-03 |title=Une campagne du Conseil de l’Europe célébrant « la liberté dans le hijab » retirée sous la pression de la France |trans-title=Council of Europe campaign celebrating 'freedom in the hijab' withdrawn under pressure from France |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2021/11/03/une-campagne-du-conseil-de-l-europe-celebrant-la-diversite-et-la-liberte-dans-le-hijab-retiree_6100773_823448.html |access-date=2025-06-17 |work=Le Monde |language=fr}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Aldebert |first=Mayeul |date=2021-11-04 |title=Comment l'UE et le Conseil de l'Europe ont financé une campagne célébrant «la liberté dans le hijab» |trans-title=How the EU and the Council of Europe financed a campaign celebrating 'freedom in the hijab' |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/comment-l-ue-et-le-conseil-de-l-europe-ont-finance-une-campagne-celebrant-la-liberte-dans-le-hijab-20211104 |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Le Figaro |language=fr}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://www.femyso.org/}}
Category:European student organizations Category:Groups of students' unions Category:Islamic youth organizations