Austria Passes Anti-Islam Bill

The Austrian parliament has passed a controversial bill that bans foreign funding for the religion in Austria, as well as foreign imams, many of whom are paid by neighboring Turkey. While Muslim activists have claimed the law is discriminatory to the 600,000 Muslims living in Austria (7 percent of the population), the far-right party in Austria did not think it went far enough because it did not require sermons to be spoke in German or ban burqas and minarets. The law’s proponents claim it will work to limit dangerous foreign influences on the practice of Islam in Austria.