EU Commission justifies significant financial support for studies related to Islam
The European Commission, under the leadership of President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU), is funding several research projects on Islam. One of these projects, "Islamophobia and Islamism in the age of populism," received 2.3 million euros from the European Research Council. Another project, "The European Qur'an," which investigates the numerous positive ways in which the Quran has enriched and inspired Christian-European culture, religion, and society, is one of the most generously funded projects, with a funding of ten million euros.
However, these funding decisions have sparked controversy. Italian MEP Silvia Sardone (Lega) has questioned the utility of these Islam studies, expressing concern about their justification and the potential for bias. Sardone wanted to know how the Commission justified the funding of Islam studies "of questionable utility."
In response, the Commission stated that all proposals are examined for their scientific merit and feasibility through a comprehensive, independent process. The Commission did not directly address Sardone's concern about the utility of the Islam studies, nor did it address a reported connection to the Muslim Brotherhood to one of the researchers involved in the "The European Qur'an" project. The name of the researcher in question is not explicitly mentioned in the available search results.
The European Research Council-funded projects are spread across multiple countries, with most of the funding going to Germany so far. Non-EU countries also benefit from the funding, such as Switzerland and Israel. The funds support projects in various fields, including the humanities and natural sciences.
Sardone criticized that several studies portray Islam in a positive light and questionably fuel the idea that there is an Islamophobia crisis in Europe. She has raised concerns about the funding of "The European Qur'an" project, which she believes may be biased towards a positive portrayal of Islam.
To date, the EU has invested over 30 billion euros in more than 17,000 projects in 35 countries through the European Research Council. The number of projects funded by the European Research Council exceeds 17,000. Despite the controversy surrounding the funding of certain Islam studies, the European Research Council continues to support a wide range of projects in various fields.
