[MajorThomas]

Earlier this year Langenthal's 750 Muslims asked for planning permission to add a minaret, 30 feet high, to their mosque in a town with 11 churches and 14,500 inhabitants.

The reaction to the apparently harmless request has polarised Switzerland and crossed borders to feed into British, French, Dutch and Austrian fears over Islam and national identity.

"This minaret is a symbol of conquest and power which marks the will to introduce Sharia law as has happened in some other European cities. We will not accept that," said Ulrich Schueler, an SVP politician and leader of the "stop" minaret campaign.

A Good Start...

[ScaniaBoy]

The final count can be found here.

So far fourteen cantons (regions) have reported final counts and the no to minarets has won in thirteen. Only Geneva voted yes to minarets.

In other referendums there were big majorities to allow weapons export and to increase state funds for aviation safety. Good conservatives, those Swiss!