Welcome to our first Midweek Memo! Every Wednesday we will share one brief news story from the continent of Europe. Our goal is to simply bring the diverse peoples of Europe to the forefront of our readers’ thoughts. No commentary, just news. Our prayer is that as you see and hear more of Europe some of you will be eager to go and share Jesus on a continent where the vast majority of people do not know him as Lord and Savior.

In Switzerland on Sunday 51.21% of voters approved the so-called Burka Ban. This means that facial coverings including the niqab and the burqa will not be allowed in public places such as public transport, restaurants, and on the streets. Face coverings are still permitted for health reasons and in places of worship.

The very slight approval margin reveals Swiss division on the matter. While some say it’s a religious rights violation, others see it as a step toward liberating women who reside in Switzerland. Currently, virtually no women wear burqas in the country, while only about 30 women don a niqab.

Muslims in Switzerland largely come from Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo and they make up only 5% of the total population. 36.5% of the country is Roman Catholic, 25% has no religious affiliation, and 24.4% are Evangelical Reformed Christians. The country is rich with the history of the Protestant Reformation, with Zwingli’s influence in Zurich and Calvin’s in Geneva in the 16th century.