Muslims in Western Europe: Problems of Integration

Nearly 40 million Muslims reside in the European Union and adherents to Islamic religion now constitute the largest minority group and the second largest religion of European society. Most of the Muslims reside in the Western European countries where they immigrated during 1960?s and 1970?s. Their descendants who comprise the second and third generation Muslims, born and raised in Europe now constitute a sizeable population. Although issues regarding integration started in the 1970?s as Britain changed its immigration policies during that time but second and third generation Muslims became a permanent feature of European society. After 9/11 situation changed as immigration and terrorism were linked and after EU?s involvement in war against terrorism issues concerning extremism and fundamentalism became of vital importance and issues of Muslim integration emerged.