French Muslim council criticises Ifop poll on Islam, warns of rising stigmatisation

The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) has sharply criticised a recent Ifop survey on Muslims in France, warning that its presentation and conclusions risk reinforcing negative stereotypes and fueling Islamophobia.

In a statement issued on November 20, the council said the poll, commissioned by the French magazine Ecran de veille, was presented as “a snapshot of the relationship between Muslims in France and Islam and Islamism,” but in practice amounted to “yet another attempt to stigmatise French citizens of Muslim faith and their religious practices," Caliber.Az reports, citing Anadolu. 

The CFCM argued that several findings and interpretations were “questionable” and noted that they had already been “widely adopted and exploited by Islamophobic circles” to depict Muslims as an “internal and existential threat” to France.

The council also said the survey contained data that contradict far-right narratives. It cited the poll’s estimate of the Muslim population, stating: “Other data, notably the fact that Muslims do not represent more than 7% of the French population, particularly undermine the ‘great replacement’ theory.”

The CFCM further criticised what it described as “numerous methodological biases” that made the poll’s conclusions “approximate, erroneous, and lacking in scientific value.”

Responding to the survey’s assertion that young Muslims are “more rigorous and more radical” than older generations, the council said this reflects long-recognised response distortions. According to the CFCM, older participants often understate their religious practice, while younger Muslims may exaggerate their religiosity “in reaction to a context of strong stigmatisation.”

The council also flagged inconsistencies in the poll’s estimates of mosque attendance. It questioned the survey’s claim that 35% of Muslims attend Friday prayers — roughly two million people — saying this figure is incompatible with the actual capacity of mosques in France, which it said is under 500,000.

The CFCM additionally warned against interpretations suggesting tension between French law and Muslim religious observance, including ritual slaughter. The practice, it stressed, is “perfectly legal” and applies to both Muslim and Jewish communities.

Concluding its remarks, the council urged caution, responsibility, and methodological rigor when interpreting surveys dealing with sensitive religious issues.

By Sabina Mammadli