(Adnkronos) – Religion must prevail over law. This is the opinion of 41 percent of young Muslims in Austria, as revealed by a study commissioned by the city of Vienna and based on interviews with 1,200 people aged between 14 and 21. According to the Austrian newspaper Heute, researchers also found that 46 percent of young Muslims interviewed believe they should be ready to “fight and die.” Furthermore, the newspaper continues, 65 percent of respondents stated that Islamic rules should be strictly applied to all aspects of daily life.
Commenting on the study, the Secretary General of the Austrian People’s Party (OVP), Nico Marchetti, stated that the results outline a “devastating picture” and must serve as a “clear warning sign.” Because, he declared, “if 41 percent of young Muslims prioritize Islamic precepts over our laws, then this is a situation we cannot accept. Anyone who comes to us must adapt and become part of our society.” The OVP leader added that “Austria must not and will not become a caliphate. Anyone who rejects these principles has no place in our country.”
The results also provoked a strong reaction from the right-wing Austrian opposition party Fpo. “We have been warning about this for decades. We have been insulted and slandered for it. Now Sharia is rooted in Europe,” wrote Harald Vilimsky on ‘X’. The Fpo leader in Vienna, Dominik Nepp, also said that the results are “a warning sign for all of Austria” and pointed the finger at the social democratic administration’s migration and integration policies.
According to the Austrian Federal Statistical Office, in 2021 Islam is the most widespread minority religion in Austria, practiced by 8.3 percent of the total population. In recent years, there has been a heated political debate in Austria regarding the integration of Muslims. In 2025, the Austrian Parliament approved a ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf in schools for girls under 14 years of age.
