No, Switzerland Has Not Derecognised Islam as an Official Religion

While the country banned full face coverings in 2023, there is no evidence that it has derecognised Islam.

A viral post showing two women standing in front which reads "No To The Veil" with a woman wearing a burqa in the background is being shared on social media platforms.

The claim: Those sharing have claimed that via a referendum in Switzerland, the hijab has been banned in the country. It also reads that Islam is no longer recognised as an official religion in the country.

(Archives of similar claims can be found here and here.)

Is this true?: The claim is misleading. The image is from January of a French group named Collectif Nemesis who undertook a "collage action" against the "patriarchal symbol of the veil."

• While Switzerland has banned the wearing of burqas and niqabs which cover one's entire face in public via a referendum in 2021, it does not mention hijabs.

• Secondly, there is no substantial evidence to prove that Islam is not recognised as a religion in Switzerland.

What we found: At first, we translated the contents of the poster, written in French to English via Google Translate.

• It read "No To The Veil and Collectif Nemesis." We, then, searched for Collectif Nemesis and came across their Instagram page. It is a feminist group based in France and has a base in Switzerland, too.

• We found a video of theirs carrying the same poster and featuring the same two women. It was uploaded on 10 January.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Némésis Suisse (@nemesis_suisse)

Here is a comparison between the two below.

Is the hijab banned in Switzerland?: The claim is misleading.

In 2021, the Swiss people, through a referendum, narrowly voted for the banning of face coverings in public, that is the burqa or niqab worn by Muslim women, reported BBC.

• This referendum also stopped violent street protesters from wearing masks and bandannas

• This became a legislation in 2023, when the  lower house of Switzerland’s parliament voted in favour of banning items that fully covered people's faces in public.

Islam in Switzerland: The viral post also claimed that Switzerland does not recognise Islam as a religion. However, their government website suggests otherwise, making the claim false.

• In Switzerland, freedom of religion is a fundamental right protected by the Federal Constitution.

• While Christianity is the majority religion in the country, Muslims also make up 6% of the population, who are mainly from the Balkans and Turkey, residing in larger cities.

There are no credible news reports or government notices which prove that Islam is not a recognised religion in the country.

Conclusion: A viral social media post has made a misleading communal claim about Islam in Switzerland.

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