Free Republic

Early results indicated Sunday afternoon that voters in Switzerland had approved a law that would prohibit construction of minarets atop mosques in the country. The measure was decided in a referendum conducted Sunday.

November 30, 2009 Europe unites to deplore Swiss ban on minarets Charles Bremner in Paris The Swiss and European establishment united today in deploring yesterday's decision by Swiss voters to outlaw the construction of minarets but conservative leaders warned that the referendum showed genuine fear over Islam on the continent. Swiss officials, media and business leaders voiced shame over a vote that they say will stigmatise the country's 400,000 Muslims and stain Switzerland's name in the Muslim world. In contrast, hard right leaders in France, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands hailed what they depicted as a triumph for the people...

Swiss media say that exit polls appear to show a 59% yes vote for banning the construction of new minarets on mosques. However a definitive result will be known later today. The populist Swiss People’s Party put forward the proposal – Switzerland has four mosques minarets with two more planned.

Switzerland appears to have backed minaret ban Voters in Switzerland appeared to have backed a call to ban minarets from mosques, according to early exit poll results. By Alexandra Williams in Geneva and Bruno Waterfield Published: 10:16AM GMT 29 Nov 2009 Thirty minutes after the referendum finished at midday, Swiss television reported: “The initiative would appear to be accepted. There is a positive trend. It’s a huge surprise.” According to the respected gfs.bern polling institute an estimated 59 per cent of voters backed the ban. A majority of cantons were also in support of the initiative. “A majority have voted...