[Deutsche Version hier]

Without doubt today the image of Swiss democracy abroad has suffered. By a clear majority the Swiss have voted to put into the constitution a ban on building minarets and minarets only. This fact and the wish to make a statement of protests are the reasons why I write for once in English.

The image a majority of Swiss voters have projected for everyone to see, is one of a democracy that indulges in the tyranny of the majority. The image of a democracy where voters are not mature enough to look beyond their own narrow world of interests and where the citizens seem not to be able to take a step back from their dear clichés. Most importantly, today the Swiss voters have shown that they have no respect for their own constitution nor for the rule of law.

I have certainly no sympathies for Islam nor do I for any other religion. But this vote was not about Islam or religious buildings in the first place. It was about an amendment to the constitution that explicitly discriminates a specific religious minority. But a state cannot discriminate between beliefs because they are what they are: A matter of belief, not fact. There lies an important part of the problem. Because you have to believe the truth and you cannot establish it by proof you are likely to be in your own religion’s bubble. What will look like discrimination to an outside observer will seem perfectly fair to you. A majority of Swiss voters was thinking with their guts.1 This is the country which discriminated in its constitution against Jews until 1874 and against Jesuits until 1973 after all.

What happens next? The implementing legislation will lead to further discussions. Perhaps they will find a workaround but I really don’t see how except for a non-implementation. Sooner or later the ban will be challenged by courts probably ultimately by the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Then the right will cry foul. They will launch into their spiel about ‘foreign judges’ and ‘meddling in internal affairs’ which of course never prevented them condescendingly teaching everyone how great the Swiss political system is, that it is the only example to follow and worth imitating.

The next time a Swiss lectures you about our democracy and federalism, do me the favour and just mention the minaret ban. I for my part, I am ashamed of the vote today. Please take note and consider this as a part of Switzerland too. As a Swiss citizen you learn to accept the will of the majority. To a certain extend the system is based on exactly that trust.

It is sad, but today it is one of the few times I have to state: I am not a Swiss democrat.

Or to say it a little bit less prosaically with the words of the German impressionist painter Max Liebermann commenting on the Nazi victory marches: I could not eat as much as I would like to vomit.

1To be fair, it has to be mentioned that the leadership of most churches in Switzerland have opposed the ban and campaigned against it.

Kommentare (4)

  1. #1 Shin
    November 29, 2009

    Although I am watching the expansion of fundamentalist Islam in many European countries and the attempts of fundamentalists to radicalise moderate Muslims with growing concern, I cannot help but agree with this article. Religious discrimination, any kind of discrimination by and through law and legislation is a two-edged blade, as it can readily be used against those who originally proposed it to further their personal agenda. More than that, it is inherently wrong and should not be tolerated. Equality before the law is one of the foundations of a free society.

    [i]The most certain test by which we judge whether a country is really free is the amount of security enjoyed by minorities.[/i] (Lord Acton)

  2. #2 student_b
    November 29, 2009

    Wann haben wir in der Schweiz schon wieder das Frauenstimmrecht eingeführt? 1970 und in Appenzell im Jahr 1990.

    Da wundere ich mich auch nicht über solche Abstimmungsresultate wie heute.

    Klar ist es peinlich für die Schweiz, dass ein Grossteil der Stimmbürger/innen so kleinliche, reaktionäre Menschen sind. Aber was solls. Ich setze meine Hoffnung darin dass dieser neue Verfassungsartikel von Strassburg kassiert wird. Und wenn nicht, wird er vielleicht in 50 Jahren wieder einmal abgeschafft.

    Den Glauben and den menschlichen Fortschritt habe ich noch nicht aufgegeben, auch wenn er sich hauptsächlich darin begründet, dass alte Leute irgend einmal weg sterben und junge Menschen sich tendenziell eher schon an Veränderungen gewöhnt haben. 😉

  3. #3 andy
    November 29, 2009

    @Ali
    You said :
    “It is sad, but today it is one of the few times I have to state: I am not a Swiss democrat.”

    Are you then a terrorist ?

  4. #4 fotopunk
    November 30, 2009

    “Klar ist es peinlich für die Schweiz, dass ein Grossteil der Stimmbürger/innen so kleinliche, reaktionäre Menschen sind.”

    ja, leider :/