Belgium's Muslim Council seeks permanent recognition
The Muslim Council of Belgium (CMB) has formally requested permanent recognition from the federal Minister of Justice, Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), following a two-year temporary approval set to expire next June. The council was established in 2023 after former Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open Vld) ended the recognition of the Executive of Muslims of Belgium (EMB) via royal decree on September 29, 2022.
According to the press agency Belga, a letter from CMB president Esma Uçan to the current minister mentions a «renewal process» initiated since 2023. The letter also states that a new general assembly of 45 members has been formed and confirms that, with Uçan not standing in the upcoming elections, a vote will be held on May 31 to appoint a new board of directors.
Uçan's decision not to run appears to be just the surface of deeper internal tensions within the young CMB. Although intended to be representative, the council's composition has already sparked controversy, notably concerning the inclusion of the Diyanet and Milli Görüs networks. These two groups, which oversee dozens of mosques, will abstain from the upcoming elections, leaving their seats vacant.
While Esma Uçan describes this as a «voluntary abstention», both networks—closely tied to Turkish religious circles—have faced criticism for alleged «foreign interference» and «conservative positions», according to Belga.
In 2024, the French-speaking business court of Brussels ordered the immediate dissolution of the EMB College. The EMB subsequently filed appeals against the 2022 and 2023 royal decrees granting recognition to the CMB, but these appeals were dismissed by the Council of State.
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