A new study commissioned by the City of Vienna has found that 41 percent of young Muslims surveyed in Austria said their religious beliefs take precedence over the country’s laws.
The report was based on interviews with 1,200 people between the ages of 14 and 21 and examined religious attitudes among youth in the country.
According to Austrian outlet Heute, researchers found that 65 percent of young Muslims surveyed said Islamic rules should apply strictly to all areas of daily life. The study also reported that 46 percent said people should be willing to “fight and die.”
Responding to the report, Nico Marchetti, general secretary of Austria’s Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), said the results were serious and required a response. He said: “If 41 per cent of young Muslims place Islamic precepts above our laws, then that is a situation we cannot accept. Anyone who comes to us must adapt and become part of our society.”
Marchetti added: “Austria must not and will not become a caliphate. Anyone who rejects these principles has no place in our country.”
The findings also prompted reaction from members of Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ). Politician Harald Vilimsky wrote on X: “We've been warning about this for decades. Got insulted and slandered for it. Now Sharia is entrenched in Europe.”’
Vienna FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp called the results “an alarm signal for the whole of Austria” and attributed the situation to what he described as failed migration and integration policies. Islam is Austria’s largest minority religion. According to Austria’s Federal Statistics Office, 8.3 percent of the country’s population identified as Muslim in 2021.
Austria has seen ongoing legislative battles over religious expression and integration measures in recent years. In 2025, Austria’s lower house of parliament passed legislation banning Muslim headscarves in schools for girls under the age of 14.
The measure was introduced by the country’s ruling coalition of three centrist parties and was supported by the FPÖ. The Greens opposed the legislation, arguing it violated constitutional protections.
Amnesty International said the law would “add to the current racist climate towards Muslims.”
The report was based on interviews with 1,200 people between the ages of 14 and 21 and examined religious attitudes among youth in the country.
According to Austrian outlet Heute, researchers found that 65 percent of young Muslims surveyed said Islamic rules should apply strictly to all areas of daily life. The study also reported that 46 percent said people should be willing to “fight and die.”
Responding to the report, Nico Marchetti, general secretary of Austria’s Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), said the results were serious and required a response. He said: “If 41 per cent of young Muslims place Islamic precepts above our laws, then that is a situation we cannot accept. Anyone who comes to us must adapt and become part of our society.”
Marchetti added: “Austria must not and will not become a caliphate. Anyone who rejects these principles has no place in our country.”
The findings also prompted reaction from members of Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ). Politician Harald Vilimsky wrote on X: “We've been warning about this for decades. Got insulted and slandered for it. Now Sharia is entrenched in Europe.”’
Vienna FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp called the results “an alarm signal for the whole of Austria” and attributed the situation to what he described as failed migration and integration policies. Islam is Austria’s largest minority religion. According to Austria’s Federal Statistics Office, 8.3 percent of the country’s population identified as Muslim in 2021.
Austria has seen ongoing legislative battles over religious expression and integration measures in recent years. In 2025, Austria’s lower house of parliament passed legislation banning Muslim headscarves in schools for girls under the age of 14.
The measure was introduced by the country’s ruling coalition of three centrist parties and was supported by the FPÖ. The Greens opposed the legislation, arguing it violated constitutional protections.
Amnesty International said the law would “add to the current racist climate towards Muslims.”
