ABSTRACT
This article argues that the Greek judiciary’s divisions over the jurisdiction of muftis in Western Thrace have generated a persistent narrative conflict that deepens legal uncertainty while accelerating the decline of religious courts. Disputes over inheritance and custody, coupled with the controversy surrounding appointed versus elected muftis, have further eroded the legitimacy of the system. Even before the ECtHR’s Molla Sali ruling and subsequent reforms (Law 4511/2018, PD 52/2019, Law 4964/2022), many Muslims had already shifted toward civil courts, undermining the relevance of mufti tribunals. The article contends that the new legal framework - making civil law the default and Islamic law optional - foreshadows the potential abolition of the mufti system, while also revealing deep divisions within the minority between those who welcome civil justice and those who see these reforms as threats to communal autonomy and identity.
