RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: Dutch MP Geert Wilders' Freedom Party has said it wants a referendum on the building of minarets similar to the one held in Switzerland on Sunday . Mr Wilders expects the Dutch to ban new minarets just like a 57.5 percent majority of Swiss did.
The referendum result is hailed as a breakthrough by the opposition MP. "It's the first time that people in Europe have stood up to a form of Islamisation."
Other xenophobic nationalist parties in Europe are taking a similar line to the Netherlands' Freedom Party. Mario Borghezio, a Euro-MP for Italy's Northern League (Lega Nord) called for a referendum in Italy, saying "The flag of a courageous Switzerland which wants to remain Christian is flying over a near-Islamised Europe."
Switzerland is home to 6 million Christians and 400,000 Muslims. There are currently 200 mosques in the Alpine country, but only four minarets. >>> | Monday, November 30, 2009
