Update: Zurich Refuses to Recognize Non-Christian Faiths

November 30, 2003

Source: swissinfo

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=4503862

On November 30, 2003 swissinfo reported, "Proposed new laws that would have led to the official recognition of non-Christian faiths, including Islam, have been turned down in canton Zurich. Some 64 per cent of voters said no to recognising faiths other than the three official religions in the canton. Markus Notter from the Zurich cantonal government – which only recognises the Protestant, Roman Catholic and the Old Catholic Churches – called the outcome of the vote 'regrettable'. He added that good relations with the Jewish and Muslim communities would continue, despite the vote. The proposed legislation was strongly opposed by members of the canton Zurich branch of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party and the centre-right Radicals. René Zihlmann, president of the Swiss Roman Catholic Commission, said people voted no on Sunday mainly because of an inflammatory campaign ran by the People’s Party ahead of the poll."