Issues in Politics
Islam-wary Swiss may ban minarets
Switzerland will hold a referendum on banning the construction of new minarets on November 29 in response to a petition for a popular vote on the issue, the government said. A group of politicians from the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) and Federal Democratic Union gathered enough signatures last year to force the referendum, but the…
Muslim mayor flies flag for gays in Dutch suburb
A harassed gay minority in a conservative suburb in otherwise tolerant Amsterdam has found a guardian angel in the local Muslim mayor. Ahmed Marcouch, 41, is on a self-appointed mission to end homophobia in Slotervaart, just a stones’ throw from the capital but light-years away from its anything-goes mentality. To make his point, Mayor Marcouch…
Socialists lose in European Parliament
With the lowest turnout figures in European Parliament elections since 1979, the fear that racist and far-right parties would sweep the European elections did not materialise, although in the Netherlands, Austria, Britain and Hungary, they were quite successful. In Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Poland and Bulgaria, racist and far-right parties did worse than expected. In the…
US Appoints Envoy to Muslim World
The US State Department has appointed its first Special Representative to Muslim Communities. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Farah Pandith would play a leading role in US efforts to “engage Muslims around the world”.
Geert Wilders to make new anti-Islam film
Controversial Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders, who is internationally criticized over his anti-Islam production ‘Fitna’ plans to make another film against Islam. He told the Israeli daily Haaretz that Israel would be in the limelight in his next film. The right-wing anti-immigrant politician declared in April that he is working on a sequel about the “Islamization…