EU leaders must address alienation of Muslim voters, report warns Political parties urged to foster a more diverse membership and call out xenophobia

(National-UAE) The recent European Parliament election and the fallout from the war in Gaza has exposed the under-representation of some groups on the continent, including non-whites and Muslims, a report has found.

Public opinion of the EU is overwhelmingly positive but leaders must address blind spots that could undermine the long-term health of democracy in the bloc, said the report published by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and the European Cultural Foundation.

Titled Welcome to Barbieland: European sentiment in the year of wars and elections, the report advises political parties to cultivate a more ethnoculturally diverse membership and voting base, to call out xenophobia even if it means clashing with voters, and for countries to reduce minimum voting age to 16 when applicable.

Read more.