Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Government opposed to state-backed training for imams

mosque
The Islamic Cultural Centre in Wil, canton St Gallen. © Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

The government has decided against introducing state-run training courses for imams as a way of preventing the potential radicalisation of extremist preachers.

A religious neutrality clause in the Swiss constitution and an international comparison led the government to its conclusion that state training is “unsuitable”, it said on Wednesday.

The statement came in response to a 2016 call by parliament to examine ways of preventing “Islamic proselytising” and to better use the potential of imams to integrate Muslims in society.

While it agrees with the integration aim, the government said that official training would run against the state’s obligation to remain neutral towards religions and not to interfere in religious communities.

Promoting more “professionalisation” and private training courses for the occupation – not just imams but all sorts of religious and spiritual guidance figures – is a better way of ensuring such people promote integration rather than division, the government said.

More

More

Do imams need Swiss training?

This content was published on Many imams at Swiss mosques spend only a few years in Switzerland, and have little understanding of how Muslims here actually live.

Read more: Do imams need Swiss training?

The state also wants to in future bring more spiritual workers into official institutions like the army, hospitals, the asylum system, and the justice system, the government said – when they are “moderate”, they can be an important force against radicalisation.

The government also based its decision on a study comparing eight other European countries, none of which provide official state training for imams.

Ministers however also recommended that parliament adopt a motion raised by a Senate committee calling for better control of religious figures who do spread radical ideas through their preaching.

More

Most Read
Swiss Abroad

Most Discussed

News

More heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland

More

Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland

This content was published on Copper and zinc can be expected to accumulate in the soil, particularly if farmyard manure is used for several years and is greater than the amount of nutrients absorbed by the grass. This was announced by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) on Friday. The findings are based on the results of the seventh National Soil Monitoring of Switzerland (Nabo).

Read more: Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland
The Federal Administrative Court in St Gallen, Switzerland.

More

Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland

This content was published on A Kurdish supporter of the Islamist terrorist network al-Qaeda can stay in Switzerland, the Federal Administrative Court has ruled. It has withdrawn the annulment of the man’s provisional admission.

Read more: Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland
Dieselgate scandal: In 2015 it emerged that millions of VW diesel-powered vehicles had been manipulated to pass environmental standards.

More

Swiss prosecutors close VW ‘Dieselgate’ case

This content was published on The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has closed criminal proceedings relating to the Swiss owners affected by the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” emissions scandal.

Read more: Swiss prosecutors close VW ‘Dieselgate’ case
Employment prospects remain stable in the fourth quarter

More

Q4 job prospects in Switzerland remain stable

This content was published on The employment outlook in Switzerland will remain stable towards the end of 2024, according to the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich.

Read more: Q4 job prospects in Switzerland remain stable
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida.

More

Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault

This content was published on A former Miss Switzerland candidate has accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in New York in 1993. The US Republican candidate’s campaign team has denied the accusations.

Read more: Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR