Some in Europe’s far right have found a new source of outrage and anger, but not about migrants or nationalism.
This time they’re seething about chocolate.
It started when Toblerone, the chocolate bars with the triangular cross section, got a halal certification, according to CNN. That means the candy meets rules for dietary guidelines for Muslims, which are similar to Jewish kosher tenets. In fact, Toblerone is certified as kosher.
The halal designation has stirred anti-Muslim rhetoric.
“Islamization does not take place — neither in Germany nor in Europe,” sarcastically wrote Jörg Meuthen, a spokesperson for the German nationalist AfD party, on social media according to CNN. “It is therefore certainly pure coincidence that the depicted, known chocolate variety is now certified as HALAL.”
The outrage persisted, with some saying they’d never buy the confection again, according to News18. There were even suggestions that eating Toblerone supported international terrorism.
Toblerone maker Mondelēz International said in a statement, “The certification did not result in any change to our beloved traditional Toblerone original recipe,” according to MetroUK.
Earlier, the company’s Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar was incorrectly reported to have a halal certificate. The confusion arose when Mondelēz Malaysia received an award for Best Halal Chocolate Bar for its Cadbury candy.