Rising of muslims in germany

Germany has more Muslims than it originally thought, with nearly half of them holding German citizenship and thus able to vote in elections, according to a government survey released Tuesday, which found Muslims were religious but tended to be less socially integrated.

Muslims make up five percent of Germany's 80 million population, two percent more than most common estimates, according to the first survey of German Muslims.

Muslims in Germany are the largest minority in the country and Europe's second largest after France. Despite immigrating to Germany since the 1960s, German Muslims continue to suffer from a catalogue of deprivations like unemployment and a lack of education and political representation.

The vast majority are religiously observant, based on the percentages of those who pray daily and observe Islam’s dietary laws, but face barriers to social integration because of restrictions on mixing of the sexes and religious accommodation in school.

Data culled from 17,000 residents in 6,000 households showed 45 percent of Muslims were German nationals through birth or naturalization and therefore can vote in German elections.

The poll found that 91 percent of Sunnis refrained from eating pork and drinking wine, while the rate among Shiites was 60 percent and Alawites, on offshoot of Islam, 49 percent.