Swiss Review 3/2021

Swiss Review / June 2021 / No.3 10 Politics EVELINE RUTZ Fully veiled tourists: you can spot them on the Jungfrau- joch, in Lucerne’s old town, and onZurich’s Bahnhofstrasse. Otherwise, womenwearing the burka or niqab are very few and far between in Switzerland. Nevertheless, full-face cov- erings are nowbanned across the country according to the Federal Constitution, after 51.2 per cent of the electorate approved the “Yes to a ban on face coverings” popular ini- tiative on 7 March 2021. Twenty cantons voted in favour of a ban; only six against. Switzerlandhas thus joined six other European nations that have already introduced bans. They include neighbour France, which took the lead in 2011. Affecting only a small minority Not only Muslim women risk a fine in future if they cover their faces in public. The ruling also applies to football fans, demonstrators, and advertising mascots. However, carni- val participants aswell as peoplewearing protectivemasks, safety helmets, or balaclavas are exempt. On voting day, the justice minister, Karin Keller-Sutter, stressed that the de- cision was not a vote against Switzerland’s Muslim popu- lation andwould affect only a fraction of the 400,000Mus- lim women who lived in the country. There are 20 to 30 niqab wearers, it is estimated, most of whomhave been so- cialised in theWest, are well educated and wear the veil of their own free will. Their numbers have not increased in recent years, and they do not pose a problem, according to the federal government. During the voting campaign, op- ponents of the initiative called it a “phony debate” and said that those championing the ban were making a mountain out of a molehill. Voters on the left also supported the ban Unusual political factors explain why the initiative suc- ceeded. The proposal found favour not only on the conserv- ative side of the spectrum, but among left-leaningwomen’s rights activists who believe face veils symbolise a funda- mentalist ideology that violates the dignity of womenwith impunity. Full-face coverings are anathema to a free soci- ety, the activists argued. However, feminist motives were also behind people opposing the initiative, with critics say- ing that women had the right towear what theywanted. In their view, putting on a niqabwas integral to religious free- dom. Party politicians have framed the yes outcome as a vote against radical Islam and female oppression. According to SVP President Marco Chiesa, it is about “defending certain Switzerland’s burka ban is mainly symbolic People in Switzerland will not be allowed to wear full-face coverings in future. Fear of radical Islam along with feminist arguments against the burka tipped the vote in favour of a ban. This outcome is primarily symbolic, because only an extremely small number of Muslim women in Switzerland wear the burka. values and prerequisites that are essential for society to function”. SVPNational CouncillorWalterWobmann of the Egerkingen Committee, which spearheaded the initiative: “In Switzerland, our tradition is that you show your face. Veils symbolise this extreme, political Islam that has no place in Switzerland.” But banning themdoes not solve any tangible problem, says FDP leader Petra Gössi, adding that clothing rules do nothing to fight terrorism. SP co-presi- dent CédricWermuth agrees. In his opinion, the rulingwill not improve the lives of any of the Muslim women it tar- geted. “We must now do something to ensure that these women are truly liberated.” Second success for the Egerkingen Committee This is the first time that voters have approved any popu- lar initiative at national level since 2014. And it is already the second referendum victory of its kind for the Egerkin- gen Committee. The group, known for its critical stance on Islam, managed to ban the construction of new minarets on mosques in 2009 – a result that took many by surprise and hit the headlines abroad. However, political commen- 51,2% Yes 48,8% No