While some analysts put the blame on Swiss politicians for failing to inform the public about how this ruling on minarets could put the country in a difficult situation and tarnish its image, others liken the arguments of minaret opponents to those of the headscarf ban supporters in Turkey.Milliyet’s Sami Kohen interprets the referendum results in Switzerland as an indication of public reaction in the country against Muslim communities, their beliefs, traditions, culture and lifestyles, noting that it is also a sign of the hatred and anger the ultranationalist and racist circles in the country feel towards minorities, which they see as “foreign” and “the other.” In Kohen’s view, the emergence of the minaret crisis in Switzerland is a paradox because Switzerland is a country that managed to establish balance and harmony in domestic politics and seems like a multicultural nation that hosts many international institutions such as the United Nations. Referring to the French Liberation newspaper, which said Switzerland was infected with the European virus, Kohen says the country showed that it was infected with the virus of discrimination, lack of tolerance, xenophobia, Islamophobia and populism. He states that this virus has infected many European countries which are known to be very democratic and modern such as France, Holland, Denmark and Austria. “Hard-line rightist parties in these countries foment fear and display their anger and hatred of Muslims frequently to the public, and this results in the strengthening of radical religious movements in these countries, deepening polarization,” suggests Kohen.
Interpreting the referendum result in Switzerland as an apparent violation of human rights and freedom of religion, Bugün’s Gülay Göktürk likens the minaret debate in the country to the headscarf debate in Turkey because the arguments used by opponents of minarets and headscarves are the same. “Minarets are not mentioned in the Quran. Minarets are not a religious symbol but a political symbol. If minarets are allowed in the country, this will be followed by the call to prayer and then a state of Shariah,” cites Göktürk as the argument of minaret opponents in Switzerland, which are the same as the arguments of the headscarf ban supporters in Turkey.
Sabah’s Erdal Şafak criticizes Swiss politicians for failing to enlighten the public and leaving the stage to rightists, thinking that the public would not support the minaret ban. The results of the referendum, hence, showed how these politicians were not interacting with the public, says Şafak. “Now, they are looking for ways to fix this mistake, fearing the retaliation that may come from the Islamic world and fearing being isolated from the international community. I’m sure they’ll find a way to reverse this,” says Şafak.
