In the wake of a bombshell French government report exposing a decades-long strategy by the Muslim Brotherhood to infiltrate institutions and promote a parallel Islamist society under the guise of “social justice,” France finds itself at a political and cultural crossroads. While President Macron’s centrist Renaissance party finally acknowledges the threat and proposes a new ban on veiling for girls under 15, the nationalist opposition led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella is demanding far stronger measures — and calling out the French far-left for enabling this ideological subversion under the false banner of “Islamophobia.”
At the heart of the controversy is a 300-page intelligence dossier that outlines how the Muslim Brotherhood has systematically embedded itself into France’s civic and community institutions over the past 70 years. From neighborhood sports clubs and halal groceries to financial networks and educational centers, the Brotherhood’s presence has become disturbingly expansive. The report reveals how Islamist operatives promote the veiling of even very young girls — some as young as five — in what authorities describe as a campaign to create the next generation of radicalized “lion cubs.”
Marine Le Pen: “We Are Facing a Civilizational Threat”
Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally (Rassemblement National), responded to the revelations with clear urgency. “This is not just a cultural concern — it is a civilizational threat,” she declared during a speech in Marseille. “For too long, our elites have ignored or minimized the Islamist project taking root in our Republic. The Muslim Brotherhood is not simply a religious group. It is a political machine seeking to impose Sharia law, using our freedoms to destroy our freedoms.”
She further lambasted the Macron government for its delay in taking this issue seriously. “Why is it only now, after so many attacks and so many warnings, that they acknowledge the reality? Because they were afraid of being called ‘Islamophobic’? Because they feared offending the left?”
Le Pen made it clear: “The French Republic cannot coexist with a parallel Islamist society. One of them will dominate, and I intend it to be our Republic.”
Bardella: The Far-Left is Complicit
Her deputy and rising political star, Jordan Bardella, has not held back either. In an interview with Le Figaro, Bardella called the findings a “damning indictment of France’s complacency.” But he went further, pointing fingers at what he calls the “institutional alliance” between the Islamist movement and the radical left.
“This report proves what we have said for years: the Muslim Brotherhood operates under the camouflage of civil rights, and the French far-left is their willing accomplice,” Bardella said. “Jean-Luc Mélenchon and La France Insoumise consistently oppose any measure to protect our laïcité, our secularism, claiming it’s all ‘Islamophobic.’ In doing so, they lend institutional legitimacy to an organization that wants to destroy the Republic from within.”
He added, “The far-left isn’t naïve — they are complicit. They use the narrative of victimization to cultivate grievance politics, even if it means empowering an ideology that is the antithesis of gender equality, freedom of expression, and democracy.”
Veil Ban for Girls: A Wake-Up Call?
President Macron’s former Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, has proposed a limited expansion of France’s 2011 ban on veiling in public to include girls under 15. While it’s a step that acknowledges the dangers outlined in the report, critics — particularly on the right — argue it’s not nearly enough.
“We support this measure, but let’s not pretend it’s courageous,” Bardella responded. “It’s a late, small step. What we need is a full ban on veiling for minors and a complete prohibition of the Muslim Brotherhood in France. Anything less is just managing the symptoms, not treating the disease.”
The proposed new law also seeks to criminalize coercion by parents who force their daughters to wear the veil. This, according to Bardella, is a recognition that the veil is not merely a symbol of faith but a political tool of control. “This isn’t about personal piety — it’s about submission,” he said. “And in the case of little girls, it’s about indoctrination.”
A Broader Islamist Strategy
The intelligence report details how the Brotherhood has weaponized “Islamophobia” as a rhetorical shield. By labeling any critique of Islamist behavior as bigotry, the Brotherhood has manipulated public discourse, making it politically dangerous to speak honestly about the threat they pose.
The term “Islamophobia” itself, the report notes, was popularized by Brotherhood affiliates as a way to silence opposition and portray Islamist goals as civil rights campaigns. This tactic has been especially successful in forging alliances with far-left parties and social justice movements, particularly those focused on anti-racism.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the Brotherhood’s ultimate aim clearly: “They want to flip the Republic, to replace French law with Sharia law. This is not conjecture — it is written in their strategy.”
Retailleau added that “the danger is not just terrorism. It’s cultural subversion, gradual and methodical. It’s a parallel society that rejects our values while exploiting our freedoms.”
Follow the Money
Another key finding of the report is the sophisticated financial network used by the Brotherhood to sustain its influence. Brotherhood-tied charities, mosques, and NGOs have received public funding — some of it funneled from EU programs. The government has vowed to freeze these assets and prevent future misuse of taxpayer money.
But Bardella is sceptical of Brussels’ willingness to act. “The EU has shown again and again that it is incapable of protecting European identity or security,” he warned. “If France wants to reclaim its sovereignty — not just economic, but cultural and civilizational — we will have to do it ourselves, with or without Brussels.”
Leftist Outrage
Predictably, the French far-left has cried foul. Jean-Luc Mélenchon dismissed the report as “a fabrication of Islamophobic paranoia,” and accused the government of scapegoating Muslims for political gain. He claimed that the crackdown on Islamist associations is simply “fueling xenophobia.”
But Bardella was quick to respond. “The left talks about xenophobia, but we are talking about saving our children from indoctrination. We are talking about protecting our daughters’ rights, our public spaces, and our rule of law. If that’s ‘Islamophobia,’ then they’ve lost the meaning of the word — or perhaps that was the point all along.”
France stands at a pivotal moment. As Islamist ideology entrenches itself further into community institutions and as leftist parties continue to cloak radicalism in the language of human rights, the call for clarity and courage grows louder.
Marine Le Pen closed her most recent campaign rally with a firm message: “France must choose. Do we defend our secular, liberal, and democratic civilization — or do we surrender it in the name of tolerance twisted beyond recognition?”
And as Jordan Bardella puts it, “Neutrality in the face of Islamist subversion is complicity. The time for half-measures is over.”
For the National Rally, this is more than just a political issue. It’s a battle for the soul of France.
