Exclusion and Radicalization in France
- Vladimir Kovtun | Genocide Watch
- Jul 23
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 28
Part One: Context on France’s Muslim Community
By Vladimir Kovtun
Genocide Watch
Introduction
The Muslim community in France consists mainly of immigrants from the Maghreb (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and other parts of northwestern Africa) and their descendants. Over the past few decades, the community's significant growth has coincided with an uptick in incidents of jihadist terrorism in France, committed by organizations including the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). French populist parties such as the Rally National (RN) and Reconquête (Reconquest) use these acts of terrorism to claim that Muslim immigrants and their descendants are inherently radical and pose a threat to French society. Many French voters have come to support this narrative and far-right movements that fuel anxieties around Muslim immigration. However, the reality of the situation is more complex.
Muslim diasporic communities live in poor material conditions due to the societal discrimination that is common in postcolonial societies like France. Contrary to populist discourse, studies have shown that most perpetrators of jihadist terrorist attacks in France were born in the country. They are more likely to be the children of immigrants who have been radicalized internally. This reality marks a clear need for change in how French authorities interact with immigrant communities.
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