Prominent Muslim politicians in Europe

Sayeeda Warsi (in the forefront) was the first female Muslim to attend the British Cabinet, and was co-chair of the Conservative Party from 2010-12. In May 2018, Warsi called on Prime Minister Theresa May to publicly admit that the Conservative Party had a problem with Islamophobia. At her first meeting in Downing Street, she caused a small sensation by turning up in a traditional Indian outfit.

France has the largest number of Muslims in the Western world, and Islam is the second-largest religion in the country by numbers. But the proportion of Muslim politicians remains relatively small. Rachida Dati is one Muslim who has reached the highest echelons of French politics, serving as justice minister from 2007-2009. She is currently a Member of the European Parliament.

Dutch politician Joram van Klaveren was long a hard-line critic of Islam, campaigning against the religion as a lawmaker for the Party for Freedom (PVV). But he suddenly announced that he had converted to the faith while writing an anti-Islam book. His former political leader Geert Wilders, himself a vehement Islam critic, said the conversion was like a vegetarian taking a job in a slaughterhouse.

Ahmed Aboutaleb became mayor of the Dutch city of Rotterdam in 2009. He is the first immigrant mayor in the Netherlands. He has been outspoken in his criticism of Muslims who come to the West but oppose the freedom of speech espoused there. In 2015, he was voted the most popular Dutch politician in a poll for news agency ANP.

Sadiq Khan has been the mayor of London since 2016, having been a Labour MP from 2005 to 2016. Ahead of the Brexit referendum, he was a prominent campaigner for Britain to remain in Europe and has also supported equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. Khan won the Politician of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards in 2016. He is a practicing Muslim who regularly attends mosque.

German politician Cem Özdemir has been one of the most prominent faces of the Green party for years, serving as its co-chair between 2008 and 2018. Among other things, he opposes the accession of Turkey, his parents' homeland, to the EU while it is under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He describes himself as a "secular Muslim" and has campaigned for the legalization of cannabis.