Switzerland: Maria vs. Shariah

Switzerland: Maria vs. Shariah

The Catholic church in Switzerland is upset at the Swiss People's Party (SVP) because of a poster campaign with the slogan "Maria instead of Shariah". According to the church the poster is polarizing and stirs up xenophobic emotions.


The poster features a laughing young woman with long hair. Next to her is a woman veiled in black looking through bars.

Instead of standing up for a peaceful society, the post construes a contrast and provokes conflicts with it, according to a statement by the Catholic Church.

It states that the 30,000 Muslims in the canton are well integrated, respect the democratic form of government and do not want to exchange the current legal system for sharia.

The contrast has a religious undertone and abuses the name of the woman that "many church members connect with Jesus as a central figure of the Christian faith."

The SVP has repeatedly caused commotions in the past with campaigns against Islam and foreigners. The same slogan was used for that matter by the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) three years ago.

Source: Katholiek Nieuwsblad (Dutch)

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