A trade fair was recently held at an exhibition center in Salzburg, publicly promoted as a means of "building bridges between Austria and Turkey." However, several voices have raised concerns about the event organizers, as the organization is not exactly known for its "bridge-building activities"—instead, it plays a central role in Islamic social structures. Moreover, it is linked to so-called legalist Islamists who are willing to accept certain democratic elements, which makes their extremism less obvious at first glance.

The Austria Linz Islamic Federation (ALIF)claims to be the regional branch of the Islamic Community Milli Gorus (IGMG) in Upper Austria and Salzburg. This „affiliation” was evident during last year’s cultural fair in Dornbirn, which was organized by the Islamic Federation’s regional branch and attended by IGMG President Kemal Ergun. Umit Vural, President of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria—who was socialized in the Vienna Islamic Federation (IFW)—also attended the fair.

Officially, the Salzburg fair has no connection to Islamism. Unofficially, however, experts argue that it serves to promote Islamist ideology.

Legalist Islamists allow for some democratic elements within this framework, which at first glance masks their extremism.

Milli Gorus refers to a political Islamic movement founded in the 1970s. Historically and ideologically, it is closely tied to Turkish politician Necmettin Erbakan , who published the book entitled Milli Gorus (national vision) in 1973. The „just order” advocated by the movement envisions a comprehensive social, economic, and political system based on Islamic principles.

Austria Turns a Blind Eye to the Spread of Islamism

Despite clear evidence in Austria’s 2023 constitutional protection report identifying Austrian Islamic associations as regional branches of the IGMG, the authorities permitted the organization to host its event. The report also emphasized that the ideology of Milli Gorus (MG) is „fundamentally similar to that of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).”

A key tenet of both ideologies is the rejection of Western culture.

Furthermore, the Austrian report noted:

“Beyond ideological proximity, there are significant personal ties between functionaries of the Muslim Brotherhood and Milli Gorus.”

The Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution, in its 2024 annual report, noted the growing presence of the Milli Gorus movement in Austria and stated that signs of detachment from the movement were only visible in isolated cases in Bavaria. Islamist ideological leanings continue to be observed in the region.

Despite this background, the organization can still freely organize events in Austria. Governor Wilfried Haslauer (OVP) sees no issue with this. His spokesperson told exxpress.at that decisions about events are made by the exhibition center’s management, and:

“All is in order. There are no specific signs of problems.”

The director of the exhibition center, Alexander Kribus, also saw no issue with the Islamist event, stating:

“The organizers assured us that this would not be a platform for any political statements.”

Only Marlene Svazek (FPO), deputy governor responsible for integration in Salzburg, spoke out about banning the event. She told exxpress.at

“The ideology of Milli Gorus is incompatible with our free and democratic core values.”

She added:

Without a law explicitly banning organizations like Milli Gorus, the state of Salzburg is legally unable to prohibit such events.

According to Svazek:

“The rule of law protects freedom—even when we are politically deeply opposed to it.” She believes Austria urgently needs a law to ban political Islam, as the Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) has long demanded.

A Legalist Islamist “PR Offensive” Is Underway

Neither Governor Haslauer (OVP) nor Salzburg Mayor Bernhard Auinger (SPO) took issue with the fair or the broader Islamic movement, despite their parties having committed at the federal level to combatting political Islam.

In early April, both Haslauer and Auinger received Murat Baser, the Linz-based religious instructor and ALIF president, in official meetings.

Experts believe such meetings are part of a deliberate strategy by Islamic leaders. They use these formal encounters—and the publicity surrounding them—to legitimize Islamist organizations. Through these connections, legalist Islamists, who strictly adhere to religious rules, can benefit from their partners’ reputations and effectively receive a „certificate of harmlessness.”

The fact that legalist Islamists follow democratic rules and generally, but not always, condemn jihadist terror does not mean they are harmless.

“In the long run, the threat legalist Islamism poses to the foundations of a free democratic order is greater than that of jihadism, which will always remain a marginal phenomenon,”

warned the constitutional protection office of North Rhine-Westphalia as early as seven years ago.

“Western Order Is a Null Order”

Back in 2018, the North Rhine-Westphalian Office for the Protection of the Constitution conducted a detailed analysis of the Milli Gorus ideology.

According to Erbakan’s ideology, the world is divided into two spheres: one based on divine Islamic law (Adil Duzen, or “just order”) and another shaped by humans, allegedly founded on violence, exploitation, and oppression—referred to as Batil Duzen, the “null order.”

The constitutional watchdogs found that the implementation of Adil Duzen—the ultimate goal of the Milli Goruüs political movement—is incompatible with the principles of a free democratic order. Additionally, anti-Semitic attitudes were clearly detectable both within Adil Duzen and in the statements of Necmettin Erbakan and some Milli Gorus officials.

The Ayasofya Mosque, as seen on May 25, 2016, in Hanover, Germany. The mosque, supported by the local branch of the Islamic Community Milli Gorus (IGMG) through 34 years of continuous operation, is the city’s oldest and largest Islamic institution. On May 26, 2016, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution issued a report that included an assessment of the Milli Gorus community. (Photo: Holger Holleman/dpa / AFP)

The article from exxpress.at emphasizes that the extremist ideology of legalist Islamists, while refraining from violence and appearing more moderate, still strive for an Islamist social order.

They are dangerous precisely because their extremism is difficult to recognize at first glance due to their willingness to operate within certain democratic frameworks.