Swiss vote to ban minarets

Swiss voters backed a ban on the construction of minarets in a referendum on Sunday (29 November), a vote that has been condemned by human rights groups and which is certain to provoke anger amongst Muslims across Europe.

Some 57 percent of voters on a relatively low turnout of 53 percent in 22 out of the country’s 26 cantons backed the measure.

Proponents of the measure claimed that minarets were symbolic of the Islamisation of the country.

Switzerland has a population of 7.7 million of which 400,000 are Muslims and just four minarets and only two more are scheduled for construction. They are restricted from issuing calls to prayer by existing noise pollution regulations.

The referendum was held at the instigation of the far-right Swiss People’s Party, who had collected the signatures of 100,000 citizens within 18 months calling for such a vote. Under the Swiss constitution, the government has no say in whether a referendum is held so long as this requirement is met.

The government, for its part, opposed the ban, arguing that the move would violate freedom of religion and the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Swiss constitution.

The Swiss Federal Council is bound by the outcome, although it may be overturned by the Swiss supreme court or the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

“The Federal Council respects this decision,” the governing body said in a statement reacting to the vote. “Consequently the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted.”

The council was quick to try to reassure the country’s Muslim community that it continues to be welcome in Swiss society.

“The four existing minarets will remain. It will also be possible to continue to construct mosques. Muslims in Switzerland are able to practise their religion alone or in community with others, and live according to their beliefs just as before.”

Justice minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said: “Today’s popular decision is only directed against the construction of new minarets. It is not a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture. Of that the Federal Council gives its assurance.”

She added that the outcome of the vote reflected fears among the population of Islamic fundamentalist tendencies that go against national traditions.

“These concerns have to be taken seriously,” she said. “The Federal Council has always done so and will continue to do so in future. However, the Federal Council takes the view that a ban on the construction of new minarets is not a feasible means of countering extremist tendencies.”

The council added that a dialogue on religion and society “must continue and with fresh resolve.”

Amnesty International has condemned the result. During the campaign, a number of attacks on mosques were reported, with the Geneva mosque vandalised on Thursday. SVP posters pushing for a Yes vote with a woman in a veil in front of a field of black, missile-shaped minarets sprouting out of a Swiss flag were banned in a number of cities for being inflammatory.

The vote has already been cheered by the Danish People’s Party, the SVP’s like-minded anti-immigrant political cousin, which has announced it will push for a similar vote in Denmark.

“It is excellent that you can have a referendum where people give their opinion. Based on the current case, the Danish People’s Party put forward a proposal in parliament to get the issue to a referendum at home too,” said leader Pia Kjaersgaard, according to the Politiken newspaper.

There are no minarets in Denmark.

Source: www.euobserver.com