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The massive turnout in favour of banning burkas from public spaces in Ticino could lead to a nationwide vote on the same issue, a possibility of real concern to human rights organisations and Switzerland's Muslim community.
On September 22, Italian-speaking Ticino became the first Swiss canton to accept such a ban, with more than 65 per cent of voters in favour. This result has boosted the hopes of those backing a future nationwide initiative.
"The text is ready. It is similar to one put forward by canton Aargau and rejected by the federal parliament in 2012," Ulrich Schlüer of the rightwing Swiss People's Party told Geneva's Le Temps newspaper.