Belgian Government Extends Muslim Council’s Recognition Amid Integration Challenges

Established in 2023 to succeed the Executive of Muslims, the CMB was reaching the end of its two-year temporary accreditation at the end of June. Its leaders were hoping for permanent recognition, but they will have to settle for this reprieve, as the minister considers that the renewal of the body is not yet complete.

The main obstacle remains the lack of representativeness. According to the minister, the Council only manages to bring together between 60 and 65% of Belgian mosques. A figure insufficient to guarantee full legitimacy.

At the heart of this division is the exclusion of two major networks of Turkish mosques, considered very conservative: Diyanet and Milli Görüs. Accounting for nearly a hundred places of worship, mainly in Flanders, these bodies do not participate in the process. The Belgian authorities suspect them of being partly influenced, or even controlled, by Turkey.

The government’s objective remains to continue efforts to "guarantee the representativeness, transparency and openness" of the Council. Concretely, this one-year extension allows the CMB to continue to manage essential files, such as Muslim plots in cemeteries, support for chaplains or the training of Islamic religion teachers, although the latter is currently blocked in Flanders due to a procedural issue.