True democracy?

True democracy?

Switzerland will decide this weekend if it will ban the construct of any more minarets in the country. 

One hundred thousand people raised the issue, and under the country's constitution, that entitles them to take it to a nationwide vote.  It means there's at least one major referendum each year.  It's expensive but the Swiss believe this truly allows the voice of the people to be heard, real democracy in action.

The right wing's People's Party support the idea.  They say minarets are a sign of political rather than religious power, are not needed and don't fit in with the idea of a liberal, pluralistic, tolerant Switzerland.

Opponents say the whole idea is racist, Islamaphobia at it's worst.  The campaign posters add their their anger, with a woman in a black Burka standing next to a Swiss flag pierced several times by sharp minarets.

Many communities across this country banned them but others allowed them to be posted saying they supported free speech.

So how big is the problems of minarets?  Across the whole of Switzerland, there are four.