A new study in Austria has found that 41 per cent of young Muslims agree with the statement that their religious beliefs supersede the country's laws.
The report, which explores religious attitudes among young people, was commissioned by the City of Vienna and was based on interviews with 1,200 people aged between 14 and 21.
Researchers also found that 46 per cent of young Muslims interviewed believed people should be prepared to 'fight and die,' Austrian newspaper Heute reports.
In addition, 65 per cent said Islamic rules should apply strictly to all aspects of daily life.
Responding to the study, General Secretary of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), Nico Marchetti, said the findings paint a 'devastating picture' and must serve as a 'clear warning signal.'
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.'
The ÖVP General Secretary continued: 'Austria must not and will not become a caliphate. Anyone who rejects these principles has no place in our country.'
The findings also prompted a strong reaction from Austria's right-wing opposition party FPÖ.
A new study in Austria has found that 41 per cent of young Muslims agree with the statement that their religious beliefs supersede the country's laws. File photo shows young Muslims studying in a classroom
Politician Harald Vilimsky said on X: 'We've been warning about this for decades. Got insulted and slandered for it. Now Sharia is entrenched in Europe.'
Vienna's FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp said the results were 'an alarm signal for the whole of Austria' and blamed the situation on decades of failed migration and integration policies under the city's Social Democratic leadership.
Islam is the largest minority religion in Austria and is practised by 8.3 per cent of the total population in 2021, according to Austria's Federal Statistics Office.
There has been fierce political debate regarding Muslims in recent years over integration, security concerns and restrictive legislation targeting Islamic culture.
Last year, Austria's lower house of parliament passed a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools for girls under 14.
The ban, proposed by the ruling coalition of three centrist parties, was also backed by the far-right Freedom Party, which was alone in calling for it to apply to school staff as well.
The only party to oppose the proposed ban was the smallest in parliament, the Greens, arguing it violates the constitution.
Rights groups have criticised the plan.
Amnesty International said it would 'add to the current racist climate towards Muslims'. The body that officially represents Austria's Muslims has called it an infringement of fundamental rights.
'This is not about restricting freedom, but about protecting the freedom of girls up to 14,' Yannick Shetty, the parliamentary leader of the liberal Neos, the most junior party in the ruling coalition, told the lower house.