"Muslimophobia” in France: New study warns of collective anxiety among millions Report by Middle East Eye

Islamophobia in France has reached deeply concerning levels, according to a new survey that sheds light on the widespread discrimination and racism targeting the country’s Muslim population. The findings, published by the London-based outlet Middle East Eye and commissioned by the recently established Observatory of Discrimination Against Muslims in France, reveal that hostility against Muslims is not only pervasive but also on the rise, raising pressing questions about equality, security, and national cohesion.

The study, carried out by polling company Ifop among a representative sample of 1,000 Muslims, shows that 82 per cent of respondents believe hatred towards Muslims is widespread in France, while 81 per cent say the problem has worsened over the past decade.

The numbers illustrate a stark reality: two-thirds (66 per cent) of Muslims have experienced racist behaviour in the past five years, compared to 20 per cent of the general population and 18 per cent of people from other religions.

Certain groups are especially targeted: 75 per cent of women wearing the hijab report facing racism, as do 76 per cent of people under 25, over 81 per cent of those with strong accents, and 84 per cent of Muslims with sub-Saharan origins.

Religious discrimination affects most aspects of life in France for Muslims. Two out of three respondents said they had already been victims of some form of religious discrimination. The most common settings are job searches (51 per cent), police checks (51 per cent), and housing applications (46 per cent).

Even state institutions, which are supposed to embody neutrality, are cited as sites of what Ifop calls “normalised discrimination.” According to the survey:

• 36 per cent report discrimination from public administration officials,

• 29 per cent from healthcare professionals, and

• 38 per cent from school teachers.

The survey underscores the climate of fear shaping Muslim life in France. One in two Muslims (51 per cent) say they are afraid of being attacked because of their religion. For veiled women, this figure rises to 66 per cent. Looking ahead, 75 per cent of Muslims fear growing hatred in society, while 64 per cent worry about restrictions on religious freedoms. For veiled women, the figure rises to 81 per cent, reflecting ongoing bans on the hijab and other Islamic garments in schools, sports, and other contexts.

Francois Kraus, director of the Politics and Current Affairs Division at Ifop, explained that although it is hard to measure the exact role of religion in discrimination, “the intersectionality of Islamophobic discrimination is quite clear.” He stressed that “Muslimophobia structures the social experience of French Muslims in all areas of their lives. This generates collective anxiety.”

France, home to between five and six million Muslims—the country’s second-largest religious group—has witnessed a surge in anti-Muslim acts. In July, the Interior Ministry reported a 75 per cent increase in such acts between January and May 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.

To monitor and address the issue, the Paris Grand Mosque, in partnership with Ifop, established the Observatory of Discrimination Against Muslims in France, with the aim of measuring discrimination in a more comprehensive way than isolated complaints or NGO reports.

The National Consultative Commission on Human Rights notes that most racist acts are underreported in France, particularly anti-Muslim acts. According to the survey, only two out of three Muslims would consider filing a complaint with law enforcement after experiencing discrimination. Factors such as a strong accent, disadvantaged neighbourhoods, youth, or wearing the hijab are identified as aggravating circumstances, with Muslims facing discrimination at rates three to four times higher than followers of other religions.

In response to the survey, Chems-Eddine Hafiz, rector of the Paris Grand Mosque, urged a strong national response against what he termed “Muslimophobia.” He argued the term better captures hostility directed at Muslims as individuals, rather than opposition to Islam as a religion.

“The fight against Muslimophobia is not a community demand. It is a matter of national security and republican cohesion,” Hafiz declared. “Because a Republic that allows such inequality to flourish among its citizens betrays its very foundations.”

By Tamilla Hasanova