Islamic immigration to Europe: why the anxiety?

Tuesday 3 February 2026

Europe has, over the past half century, become a destination for significant migration from societies shaped by Islamic traditions. That migration has been driven by war, poverty, political repression and, in many cases, by Europe’s own labour needs and humanitarian commitments. It has enriched European societies in countless ways, economically, culturally and demographically. Yet it has also exposed unresolved tensions about values, social norms and the limits of pluralism.

At the heart of these tensions lies a difficult question. To what extent can a European society accommodate cultural practices that diverge from its own foundational assumptions, and at what point does accommodation shade into erosion of the social contract that makes liberal societies function?

European political culture, although diverse, rests on a number of shared principles. These include legal equality between men and women, personal autonomy in matters of belief and lifestyle, tolerance of alcohol and other lawful social practices, freedom of expression, and a strong expectation of honesty and reliability in commercial and personal dealings. These norms are not merely aesthetic preferences. They are the product of centuries of conflict, reform and legal development, and they underpin trust between strangers, confidence in institutions and the peaceful coexistence of difference.

Many migrants from Muslim-majority societies arrive from environments where different assumptions prevail. In some places gender roles are more rigid, social behaviour is more tightly regulated by religious norms and informal networks take precedence over impersonal legal systems. It would be both inaccurate and unjust to suggest that these societies lack morality or social cohesion. They often possess strong family bonds, communal solidarity and ethical frameworks that command deep loyalty. However these frameworks do not always align smoothly with European expectations of individual freedom, gender equality and institutional trust.

The resulting friction is most visible around questions of feminism, social liberty and public behaviour. European societies have largely settled, at least in law, on the principle that women are autonomous individuals with the same rights and opportunities as men. When practices or attitudes appear to challenge this principle, whether in employment, education or family life, they provoke understandable concern. Similarly norms surrounding alcohol, dress, sexuality and mixed social spaces have become symbolic battlegrounds, not because they are universally cherished, but because they represent freedom of choice.

Business culture and personal relationships raise quieter but equally important issues. European economies rely on predictable rules, transparent transactions and a presumption of good faith. When newcomers operate primarily within closed communal networks, or when informal obligations appear to override contractual commitments, trust can fray. It is crucial to note that such behaviour is not unique to any religion and is often a rational response to weak institutions in countries of origin. Nonetheless in Europe, where impersonal systems are central to social stability, adaptation is essential.

None of this implies that Europe must demand cultural erasure or religious conformity. Freedom of belief is a cornerstone of European civilisation, and Islam, like Christianity or Judaism, can and does find diverse expressions compatible with democratic life. Many Muslims in Europe already live comfortably within European norms, contributing to public life, respecting gender equality and participating fully in civic culture.

The challenge therefore is not Islam as a faith, but the terms of coexistence within a liberal society. Accommodation cannot be a one-way process. Just as European states must protect minorities from discrimination and exclusion, so too must newcomers accept that moving to Europe entails adaptation. This includes respect for women’s equality, acceptance of lawful social practices one may personally avoid, and adherence to standards of honesty and integrity that sustain public trust.

If Europe seeks a durable relationship with the wider Islamic world, whether through diplomacy, trade or migration, clarity is preferable to ambiguity. Cultural relativism that refuses to articulate boundaries serves neither hosts nor newcomers. It breeds resentment, empowers extremists on all sides and undermines the very tolerance it claims to defend.

A confident Europe should be able to say, calmly and without hostility, that its social norms are not arbitrary, but hard-won. Those who choose to make their lives here are welcome, but welcome into a shared civic space, not into parallel societies governed by incompatible rules. Integration, in this sense, is not submission, but participation. It asks newcomers to bring their talents and traditions, while accepting the standards that make European society coherent, free and, despite its flaws, worth joining.