Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard has announced that the government will no longer use the term “Islamophobia”, describing it as “problematic” on the grounds that it centres on what she characterised as “irrational fears” held by individuals.
Instead, Stockholm intends to adopt alternative terminology such as “anti Muslim racism” and “anti Muslim hatred” across international platforms, including the European Union and the United Nations. Further discussions on this shift are scheduled to take place in Brussels during the third week of May.
Political Backing and Controversial Justifications
The move has been welcomed by the right wing Sweden Democrats. European Parliament member Charlie Weimers claimed that the term had been “exploited” to advance political agendas and access EU funding, describing the decision as the removal of what he labelled a “fabricated concept”.
Similarly, Faw Azzat argued that the term was constructed to conflate criticism of religion with racism against individuals, framing it as a semantic tool rather than a legitimate descriptor of discrimination.
Evidence Points to Rising Anti Muslim Discrimination
The policy shift comes despite mounting evidence indicating that hostility towards Muslims is both present and increasing across Sweden and wider Europe.
A 2025 academic study found that anti Muslim bias is deeply embedded within Swedish institutional structures, with political and media narratives frequently portraying Muslims as “undesirable others”. These findings have raised serious concerns about Sweden’s commitment to inclusion and non discrimination.
At the European level, the Coalition to Counter Islamophobia in Europe reported a growing normalisation of anti Muslim hatred. Its 2025 annual report documented 876 recorded incidents across Europe, with 85 percent occurring in France.
The data also revealed that 80 percent of victims were women, with 41 percent of incidents directly linked to the wearing of the hijab.
A Widening European Trend
Similar patterns have been recorded in Germany, Spain, Austria, and Belgium, indicating that the issue extends well beyond Sweden.
Additionally, the International Network Against Online Hate has identified migration and anti Muslim sentiment as dominant themes in online hate speech across Europe.
Growing Warnings Over Institutionalisation of Hatred
International organisations and European lawmakers have issued repeated warnings about the normalisation and institutionalisation of hostility towards Muslims. This trend is increasingly reflected in political discourse, media coverage, and policy frameworks.
At the same time, security agencies have highlighted the escalating threat posed by far right extremist groups, further intensifying concerns over the broader direction of European societies.
A Shift in Language Amid Escalating Reality
While Sweden moves to redefine the terminology used in official discourse, the broader data suggests that anti Muslim hostility is not diminishing but becoming more entrenched. The divergence between political language and documented reality continues to raise serious questions about accountability, recognition, and the future of minority protections across Europe.
