Religion
Italy: Anti-immigrant party supports crucifix in schools
Venice, 6 Nov. (AKI) - The anti-immigrant Northern League party has called for the northeastern province surrounding the city of Venice to defy a court ruling and keep the crucifix in public places, including local schools. The move follows a decision by the European Court of Human Rights against the presence of crucifixes in classrooms in Italy, which is an officially secular country.
"The provincial council should keep crucifixes in all public places in the province, school classrooms and defend our identity," reads the Northern League motion.
"Removal of the crucifix from public places shows a desire to annul the traditions which form the basis of our society, culture and morality," continues the motion, which is backed by other conservative parties.
It says that "symbols, celebrations and local traditions such as the Christmas nativity scene have been cancelled in favour of dubious festivals such as Halloween."
The motion will be debated by the provincial council next Tuesday.
It also cites a 2005 ruling by the surrounding Veneto region's administrative court which opposed the removal of crucifixes from Italian classrooms.
The administrative court ruling said the crucifix "represents a symbol of Christian culture and civilisation as a universal value that is separate from specific religions and is not discriminatory."
The mayor of Vicenza, also located in the Veneto region, said on Thursday he would also oppose the removal of the crucifix from schools and public places in the city.
"The Italian government has already announced it intends to challenge the European Court of Human Rights ruling," said Achille Variati.
The Italian minister of European affairs, Andrea Ronchi, on Wednesday rejected the controversial decision in a TV interview.
"The crucifix will never be taken away, not from any secular place nor from anywhere in our Italy. I think the government should and will appeal this sentence," Ronchi said.
The Vatican on Tuesday strongly rejected the ruling, saying it was "wrong and myopic" to exclude a symbol of charity from education.
The European Court of Human Rights ruled the placing of the crucifix in school classrooms infringed parents' right to educate their children "in conformity with their convictions".
"The provincial council should keep crucifixes in all public places in the province, school classrooms and defend our identity," reads the Northern League motion.
"Removal of the crucifix from public places shows a desire to annul the traditions which form the basis of our society, culture and morality," continues the motion, which is backed by other conservative parties.
It says that "symbols, celebrations and local traditions such as the Christmas nativity scene have been cancelled in favour of dubious festivals such as Halloween."
The motion will be debated by the provincial council next Tuesday.
It also cites a 2005 ruling by the surrounding Veneto region's administrative court which opposed the removal of crucifixes from Italian classrooms.
The administrative court ruling said the crucifix "represents a symbol of Christian culture and civilisation as a universal value that is separate from specific religions and is not discriminatory."
The mayor of Vicenza, also located in the Veneto region, said on Thursday he would also oppose the removal of the crucifix from schools and public places in the city.
"The Italian government has already announced it intends to challenge the European Court of Human Rights ruling," said Achille Variati.
The Italian minister of European affairs, Andrea Ronchi, on Wednesday rejected the controversial decision in a TV interview.
"The crucifix will never be taken away, not from any secular place nor from anywhere in our Italy. I think the government should and will appeal this sentence," Ronchi said.
The Vatican on Tuesday strongly rejected the ruling, saying it was "wrong and myopic" to exclude a symbol of charity from education.
The European Court of Human Rights ruled the placing of the crucifix in school classrooms infringed parents' right to educate their children "in conformity with their convictions".
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