What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to highlight how recent European court decisions weaken religious freedom protections, drawing lessons from U.S. case law.

Sacrificing Religious Freedom in Europe: Why the Pan-European Courts Need Douglas Laycock

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This analysis demonstrates the implications of judicial decisions on religious freedom in Europe, suggesting improvements based on U.S. precedents.

The aim is to highlight how recent European court decisions weaken religious freedom protections, drawing lessons from U.S. case law.
Analyzed U.S. Supreme Court cases related to religious freedom, particularly Employment Division v. Smith and Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc.
Examined recent rulings by the European Court of Human Rights and Court of Justice of the European Union regarding religious practices.
Compared the treatment of religious freedom in the U.S. with that in European judiciary settings.
European high courts have upheld discriminatory practices affecting Muslim and Jewish ritual slaughter, prioritizing animal welfare over religion.
These decisions reflect a troubling trend toward mere government neutrality rather than active protection of religious freedoms.
The analysis argues for a restoration of the core protections seen in U.S. law to prevent discrimination against religious minorities.

Witte et al. (2026) studied this question.

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This analysis demonstrates the implications of judicial decisions on religious freedom in Europe, suggesting improvements based on U.S. precedents.