Sheikh Dr Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa said Europe was generally not worried about the rise of the hardline right during a visit to Brussels. He placed his confidence in national constitutions, European institutions and societal values. His reassurance followed the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, finishing first in state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in September.
Al-Issa met political figures and representatives of religious communities and civil society at a high-level meeting on dialogue and social cohesion. He argued that constitutional limits and public values could constrain political excesses. His claim rests on formal safeguards, and on society speaking up when those safeguards face pressure.
Faith in the constitutional order
“Of course, we always believe in dialogue and place great faith in it,” Al-Issa said. He called dialogue “the language of reason and wisdom,” and said resolving conflicts required sincere intentions and effective leadership. These are the tools he proposes to address political division: dialogue, effective leaders, and rules political actors can’t override.
“As for talk of a hardline right emerging in some European countries, we are generally not worried. Each European country has a civilised constitution that no one can override. There are also societal values that everyone must respect,” he said. He added: “Any departure from the constitution and these civilised societal values will prompt society to speak out and put things right.”
Al-Issa also pointed to the possibility of challenging legislation before constitutional courts. He said similar questions in other countries had turned out as he hoped when constitutional oversight and an active public conscience were present. His proposed remedy runs through courts and constitutions. He offered no specific example of a challenge or ruling.
Religious practice on the state's terms
The meeting's language of respect faces a concrete test in Italy, where the government approved a decree banning face coverings during school activities. The decree includes exceptions for certified medical reasons and educational activities. It doesn't explicitly name the burqa or niqab, though Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni referred to both when announcing it.
“In Italy, no one should force a girl to hide herself,” Meloni said. Al-Issa, meanwhile, called for respect for religious practices within the framework of national constitutions. “We always call for respect for each religion’s distinctive practices, provided they do not conflict with the constitution,” he said. Their statements set out competing claims over the same state rule: Meloni's case for the restriction, and Al-Issa's insistence that religious practice deserves respect, subject to constitutional limits.
Dialogue against an approaching vote
Al-Issa's visit came after the AfD finished first in two state elections. France is due to hold a presidential election in 2027, while parliamentary elections are expected in Italy, Poland and Greece. The article records a rise of the hardline right in some European countries, alongside Al-Issa's confidence that constitutions and societal values will hold.
The Muslim World League, established in 1962, is a Mecca-based Islamic organisation that describes its mission as promoting Islam, tolerance and friendship among peoples. Al-Issa said European constitutions respect religious practices and the observance of rituals. The Italian example leaves a direct question: who defines the boundary between that respect and a government restriction, and what happens when people contest the rule?