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Published on 27 August 2008

Federal Council opposes building ban on minarets; Opinion on the popular initiative against the construction of minarets

Bern, 27.8.2008 - The popular initiative against the construction of minarets has been submitted in accordance with the applicable regulations, but infringes guaranteed international human rights and contradicts the core values of the Swiss Federal Constitution. Such a ban would endanger peace between religions and would not help to prevent the spread of fundamentalist Islamic beliefs. In its Opinion, passed on Wednesday, the Federal Council therefore recommends that the Swiss parliament reject the initiative without making a counter-proposal.