Referendum On Minarets In Denmerk Next?
Could there be a referendum on minarets in Denmark next? The principle of referenda on just about anything is not enshrined in their Constitution as it is in Switzerland, and also they don’t currently have any (the picture is of the mosque in Geneva) but nevertheless it might happen.
The Danish People’s Party Leader Pia Kjærsgaard has today congratulated Switzerland on the result of its weekend referendum in which a majority of 57.5 percent voted to ban minarets and hinted that the idea of people having their say isn’t yet dead in the EUSSR either.
“Outstanding that you can have referendums in which people can say what they think. On this issue, the Danish People’s Party will table a bill in Parliament so that we can have a referendum in Denmark too” says Pia Kjærsgaard.
The Swiss vote was instigated by the Schweizerische Volkspartei (Swiss People’s Party) which collected the 100,000 signatures required by Swiss law in order to force a referendum. Switzerland currently has four minarets in the country whilst Denmark currently has none – although there are plans for grand mosques in Copenhagen and Roskilde.
“We oppose plans for grand mosques in Denmark and believe that a large number of voters agree with us” says Pia Kjærsgaard.
So, might this be the start of a trend? Unlikely, as the DPP is far from being the equivalent force in national politics that the SPP is in Switzerland, but it’s an interesting development. Interesting, too, is the clause of the EU Consitution Lisbon Stitch-Up stating that any proposal attracting more than 1 million EU-wide signatures must be considered by the EU Council of Ministers for EU-wide legislation. As soon as someone notices that then there may be a good diplomatic row in the offing.
ASE, there are already 4 minarets in Switzerland but recently planning has refused to grant more. Hence the referendum to see what the people want. Pity they had to go so far and couldn’t come to a consensus with the seemingly quiet natured muslims, but that’s democracy.
Sorry, subrosa, I meant that there weren’t any in Denmark yet (which is why I used the photo of one of the Swiss four).
Swiss muslims may indeed be more quiet natured than the egg-throwing ones who greeted Baroness Warsi yesterday; I’ve not met any when I’ve visited there, but the Turkish PMs description of minarets being the “bayonets of Islam” didn’t help their cause during the referendum. Imagine describing spires in a Muslim country as being the “spears of Jesus”? Actually you can’t imagine it because they are banned there….
Moslems have form, spot the difference below.