INVESTIGATION – The Union of French Muslim Democrats is officially a candidate for the European elections under the banner of the “Free Palestine Party” coalition. What are the real intentions of this openly pro-Hamas French movement?
The Union of French Muslim Democrats (UDMF) announced its participation in the European elections next June under the banner of the “Free Palestine Party” coalition. This initiative brings together European parties sharing “a common Muslim ethic”, but has generated significant controversy due to its radical positions and dubious alliances.
Disturbing links and accusations of communitarianism
Founded in 2012, the UDMF claims to be anti-imperialism, anti-Zionism and anti-colonialism. Its president and founder, Nagib Azergui, head of the list for the European elections, is an atypical character on the French political scene. A computer scientist by profession, aged 49, he is originally from Nanterre, in Hauts-de-Seine. In 2012, when he founded his party, Azergui had no prior political experience. However, despite his inexperience, he is convinced of the need for French Muslims to organize themselves politically to address issues related to Islam.
The UDMF's links with controversial organizations, such as the very controversial BarakaCity, are particularly worrying. In 2020, Nagib Azergui denounced the dissolution of BarakaCity by the Ministry of the Interior. As a reminder, the president of BarakaCity welcomed the death of journalists during the attack on Charlie Hebdo and was condemned for cyberharassment. The association was accused of spreading ideas advocating radical Islamism.
A radical program and contested proposals
The Free Palestine coalition's program includes radical proposals, including a call to remove Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine from the European Union's list of terrorist organizations. This position is assumed by the party, even though these groups are widely recognized for their acts of terrorism.
The logo of the “Free Palestine” coalition represents the Palestinian territory covering all of Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, symbolizing the disappearance of the Jewish state. This representation has been criticized for its obvious implication in the non-recognition of the State of Israel.
Opposition to LGBT rights and controversial statements
The UDMF has also shown open hostility towards the rights of LGBT people. In response to a video by Mathilde Panot, president of the La France Insoumise (LFI) group at the National Assembly, calling for demonstrations against transphobia, the official UDMF account tweeted: “Muslims, do you really want to vote for that? #LGBT #ManonAubry #UDMF”. This message clearly demonstrates the party's opposition to LGBT rights and the inclusion of transgender people.
Friends or enemies of France Insoumise?
Faced with fierce competition, notably from La France Insoumise which captured 69% of the Muslim vote during the last presidential elections with Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the UDMF is seeking to stand out through a grassroots campaign. The party plans to compensate for its lack of financial means with a bus tour in the working-class neighborhoods of Strasbourg in Île-de-France.
Beyond the European elections, the UDMF is looking ahead to the municipal elections of 2026, where it intends to run in three cities. However, the UDMF's ambitions are put into perspective by the poor results of the 2019 European elections, where the party received less than 29 votes, or 000% of the vote. According to a recent IFOP poll, the “Free Palestine” list is credited with around 0,13% of the votes for the June 0,5 elections.
This “small score” could have consequences and reasons to worry LFI. The Union of French Muslim Democrats achieved significant results in certain municipalities and neighborhoods with a large Muslim population. For example, during the 2019 election, the party received 17% of the votes in Val Fourré, 7,43% in Garges-lès-Gonesse, 7% in Montereau-Fault-Yonne, 6% in La Courneuve and Chanteloup- les-Vignes. In Garges-lès-Gonesse, he finished in fourth position, ahead of Benoît Hamon's list. In Trappes, he overtook the list of Republicans led by François-Xavier Bellamy. In Mantes-la-Jolie, the UDMF was almost on par with La France Insoumise. In these European elections where every point counts, 0,5% for the UDMF can deprive the rebels of an additional seat in the European Parliament. The UDMF remains in the polls, however, far from the 5% necessary for the election of MEPs.
The UDMF's participation in the European elections under the banner "Free Palestine Party" is marked by radical positions and controversial alliances. Links to organizations advocating radical Islam, opposition to LGBT rights and extreme proposals on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict draw criticism and raise questions about the party's true intentions.
