French Muslims’ Silent Exodus: A Study of Social Advancement Abroad and its Implications for France

In France, a new phenomenon has been uncovered that is silently affecting the country for the first time. A recent sociological survey of more than 1,000 people and 140 in-depth interviews reveals that French Muslims of Muslim culture or faith have found social advancement abroad that was denied to them in France.

The study was led by Professor Olivier Esteves, a French professor at the University of Lille specializing in Britain, ethnicity, and migration. He worked alongside two other researchers to shed light on how discrimination, being stigmatized by religion or name, and societal prejudices have driven French Muslims to leave their homeland and settle in countries such as London, Dubai, New York, Casablanca, Montreal, or Brussels.

Through interviews with these minority elites, the research details their upbringing experiences as Muslims in France, reasons for leaving the country, choice of destinations, settling and living abroad perspectives on France and prospects of returning. The study poses critical questions about the French state’s approach to secularism and its impact on religious minorities in France.

The research also delves into how anti-Islamism and anti-Semitism have become key issues in the French election campaign especially in the context of rising National Rally. It highlights how these debates have contributed to an identity crisis facing France and their implications for French society. Additionally