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Saturday 26 May RNW - NEWS AND ANALYSIS FROM THE NETHERLANDS IN 10 LANGUAGES, WORLDWIDE 24/7 ON RADIO, TV AND ONLINE

Dutch populists want minaret ban

Published on 21 September 2011 - 10:24pm
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The populist Freedom Party (PVV) wants a referendum to be held on whether or not the construction of new minarets on mosques in the Netherlands should be banned.

PVV leader Geert Wilders put forward draft legislation on Wednesday to clear the way for a referendum. “Minarets are a painful sight,” he says. “They are towers of an advancing desert ideology.” He points out that a similar nationwide vote was held in Switzerland and that a majority voted in favour of a ban.

(mw/ae/imm)

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Discussion

user avatar
Awesome Ted 22 September 2011 - 2:52pm

Is this the stuff Geert thinks of while trying to get to sleep at night? Copying a Swiss ban which has so far failed to prevent any minarets from being built? As a non-Muslim, minarets aren't my favourite architectural form either. But they cause no harm to anyone. Trying to ban them accomplishes only two things. It pisses people off and it diverts attention away from important political matters, like the economy.
I'll say one thing for Geert: he sure knows how to attract attention to himself.

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