Press release by the German Bundestag
(Bonn, 09.07.2026) The Federal Government reports on the “Advisory Group on the Prevention and Combating of Islamism” in its response (21/4296) to a minor parliamentary question from the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen parliamentary group (21/4028). According to the response, the Advisory Group “has transformed the Task Force on the Prevention of Islamism into a permanent structure which, in future, will encompass not only security policy but also socio-political, integration and education policy dimensions, and thus regards the fight against Islamism as a task for society as a whole”.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) is thus implementing an important initiative from the coalition agreement, the document continues. The aim is to “further professionalise prevention work in Germany, broaden its socio-political scope in the long term and strengthen links even further – between academia, practitioners and security authorities”. The advisory panel is intended to help ensure that insights from academia and practice are better integrated into political decision-making processes.
According to the information provided, the advisory panel consists of 15 experts distinguished by their specialist knowledge and practical experience. Its composition ensures a “close integration of academic depth, practical experience and security policy expertise”. The interdisciplinary panel brings together, amongst other things, expertise in law, psychology and education, as well as in Islamic studies and the social sciences.
According to the draft, the panel’s work will be overseen by a steering group within the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), comprising Parliamentary State Secretary Christoph de Vries (CDU) and the heads of the relevant departments within the Ministry. In addition, other relevant federal ministries are involved on a technical level. There is also the option at any time to invite further experts on specific topics to attend the advisory group’s meetings.
Source: https://bundestag.de/presse/hib/kurzmeldungen-1151312
Advisory Group on the Prevention and Combating of Islamism
Initiative to Combat Islamist Radicalisation – taken from the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
With the deadly attacks of recent years, Islamism has once again come to the fore in its most violent form. Such acts of extremist violence are always preceded by a process of radicalisation, which often takes place even here in our country. Islamist actors introduce their dangerous ideology into our society without resorting to violence themselves. The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) therefore advocates an early and broad-based approach to preventing and combating Islamism.
Against this background, the Federal Ministry of the Interior has convened the Advisory Group on the Prevention and Combating of Islamism. On 15 December 2025, the members of the Advisory Group on the Prevention and Combating of Islamism, chaired by Parliamentary State Secretary Christoph de Vries, met for the first time. The spokesperson for the Advisory Group on the Prevention and Combating of Islamism is Prof. Dr Christine Schirrmacher. Prof. Dr Mouhanad Khorchide and Ahmad Mansour act as her deputies.
The prevention of Islamism is understood as a cross-cutting task that encompasses not only security policy dimensions but also socio-political, integration policy and education policy dimensions. Accordingly, the composition of the Advisory Group is interdisciplinary and is further divided into three areas:
- Academia and research,
- Civil society and public sector practices in prevention and integration, and
- Federal and state security authorities.
This composition ensures close integration of theory, practice and official implementation.
What is the remit of the Advisory Group on the Prevention and Combating of Islamism?
- To advise the Federal Government
- To draw up a draft federal-state action plan for combating Islamism
The primary and central task of this permanent advisory body will be to support the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) in drawing up the Federal-State Action Plan to Combat Islamism and to submit an initial draft for this purpose. The action plan is intended to bring together specific recommendations for action and measures to combat political Islamism in Germany and to strengthen existing efforts at all levels – ideologically, structurally, financially and socially.
These recommendations may, for example, include research needs, new approaches to raising awareness or proposals for legislative changes. The Action Plan’s key focus areas are aligned with the central challenges of the present day. These include, in particular, prevention and enforcement in the digital sphere; investigating the financing of Islamism and foreign influence; radicalisation and extremism in schools; as well as educating and raising awareness amongst public authorities and conducting academic research into Islamist ideologies.
How does the Advisory Group on the Prevention and Combating of Islamism operate?
- The Advisory Group reports to a high-level steering committee at the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI).
- The spokesperson for the Advisory Group is Prof. Dr Schirrmacher.
The draft Federal-State Action Plan is being drawn up by the Advisory Group’s 15-member, interdisciplinary team, which comprises experts from various fields of Islamism prevention as well as civil society and state actors. During its working meetings, the team examines the relevant topics from different perspectives and may invite additional experts as required, depending on the topic or occasion.
The spokesperson for the Advisory Group on the Prevention and Countering of Islamism is Prof. Dr Christine Schirrmacher. She is represented by Prof. Dr Mouhanad Khorchide and Ahmad Mansour.
The Advisory Group provides information and reports its findings to a high-level steering group within the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), comprising Parliamentary State Secretary Christoph de Vries and the heads of the Public Security and Democracy and Society departments.
Members of the Advisory Group (selected)
- Prof. Dr. Christine Schirrmacher, Universities of Bonn and Leuven, Belgium: Christine Schirrmacher is a professor of Islamic Studies at the Universities of Bonn and Leuven, Belgium. As an expert witness, visiting lecturer and member of various boards of trustees, she advises at federal and state level on human rights and integration issues, Islamophobia and security policy. She is a member of the Centre Council of the ‘Centre for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS)’ at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn, of the Scientific Advisory Board of the ‘Federal Association of German Criminal Investigators’ (BDK), and of the Scientific Advisory Board of the ‘Centre for Analysis and Research (ZAF)’ at the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). She has published around 25 books and numerous essays on topics relating to Islamic law and Islamic theology, as well as on women’s, human and minority rights in the Middle East.
- Prof. Dr. Mouhanad Khorchide, University of Münster: Mouhanad Khorchide is Professor of Islamic Religious Education and Director of the Centre for Islamic Theology at the University of Münster, as well as Principal Investigator of the university’s Cluster of Excellence ‘Religion and Politics: Dynamics of Tradition and Innovation’. His work focuses on researching and promoting a contemporary interpretation of Islam within the European context, and he advocates a historical-critical interpretation of Islamic religious texts. He is a founding member of the Muslim Forum Germany and the Muslim Community of North Rhine-Westphalia. He also chairs the scientific advisory board of the Documentation Centre for Political Islam (Austria).
- Ahmad Mansour, MIND Prevention GmbH: Ahmad Mansour is a qualified psychologist and author from Berlin. In 2018, he founded and has since led an initiative for the promotion of democracy and the prevention of extremism, which carries out various projects in the fields of education and integration, as well as in prisons. Ahmad Mansour’s work focuses on the promotion of democracy and the prevention of extremism. He is also deeply committed to the fight against anti-Semitism. He speaks at schools, universities, government agencies and in the business sector. He also publishes specialist books and writes a regular column for Die WELT; his articles and interviews appear in numerous daily newspapers.
Source: https://www.bmi.bund.de/DE/themen/sicherheit/extremismus/islamismus-und-salafismus/bkis/bkis.html
The photographs used here may be used in accordance with the following guidelines issued by the BMI: https://www.bmi.bund.de/DE/service/impressum/impressum_node.html
Downloads and Links
- Photo 1 and photo 2: During the meeting of the Advisory Group on the Prevention and Combating of Islamism © BMI/Henning Schacht
- Photo 3: Christoph de Vries © BM/Tobias Koch
- BQ 891 – 71/2025 “Federal Ministry of the Interior appoints Christine Schirrmacher to the ‘Advisory Group on Preventing and Combating Islamism’”: https://bonn-profiles.net/?p=9616
