Berlusconi’s policies scare Muslim community in Italy

A wave of fear has overwhelmed the Muslim community in Italy following the Ministry of Interior being assigned to the extremist right-wing Northern League party.

This comes as a result of the right-wing leader Silvio Berlusconi’s decision to appoint Roberto Maroni, one of the leaders of the Northern League party, as Minister of Interior.

The Muslim community believes that Berlusconi had a deal with his extremist ally to apply new laws against the Muslims, pointing out that these new laws would be a source of tension between the Muslim community and Italian society with its institutions.

The view of a number of Muslim clerics and heads of Islamic organizations in the north is that the coming of the Northern League party to the helm of power threatens the coexistence between the Muslim community and Italian society. They foresee conflicts with Muslims ending up as victims.

One Muslim cleric commented that the right-wing Northern League party would play the card of conflict with Islam and Muslims to build its popularity. The cleric added that the party had already drafted laws to be immediately implemented to combat what they refer to as infiltration of Islam and Islamic extremists into Italian society. Among these laws, he says, is putting restrictions on the registration of Islamic organizations that build centres and take them as mosques besides restricting Imams and forcing them to deliver sermons and Quranic verses in the Italian language.

In addition, the issuing and renewing of work permits for foreigners would be restricted.