Over the past decade, Europe has seen a pronounced shift to the right, as far-right parties across the continent have moved into the mainstream. A significant driver of this shift has been the persistence and visibility of Islamophobia within European society. Anti-Muslim attitudes are widespread, and many elected officials have capitalized on these sentiments. By using Muslim communities as scapegoats, they deflect attention from policy shortcomings, and have instead gained support by appealing to negative perceptions of Muslims.