"Europe�s changing � but does the face of Islam fit?
As Turkey moves closer to EU membership, Angus Roxburgh in Brussels examines whether the continent is open to all
All eyes last week were on Turkey, as it finally gained a starting date for negotiations on joining the European Union. Lurking behind every argument about the country�s suitability was the single stark fact that its 70 million citizens are mostly Muslim, and that its entry into the EU will mean an end to Europe�s �Christian club�.
But there are already more than 15 million Muslims in the EU, and that number is growing rapidly, leading some experts to believe that Europe will eventually have a Muslim majority.
The consequence of this for Europe�s identity was one of the issues debated recently at an �intellectual summit� in Rotterdam, organised by the Dutch government as part of its six-month presidency of the EU. The summit brought together about 700 leading thinkers, plus a handful of senior politicians, for a debate entitled Europe: A Beautiful Idea?"
More:Europe�s changing � but does the face of Islam fit? - [Sunday Herald]
