Monday 5 January 2009

Ahmed Aboutaleb becomes Rotterdam's first Muslim mayor

Very positive developments are reported from the Netherlands:

The Morocco-born Ahmed Aboutaleb has been elected the first Muslim mayor of a major Dutch city: Amsterdam Rotterdam (corrected).

This is not the only story of a citizen of Muslim religion taking over important political posts in the European Union: Earlier this year, Cem Özdemir (a son of Turkish immigrants) has been elected the first Muslim leader of a major German party (the Greens).

Both are examples of the political and real-life recognition of the cultural and religious diversity in Europe, the European Union, and its member states, a diversity that includes Christians, Muslims, Jews, other religious groups as well as atheist busses - a fact that is much appreciated by the humble author of this blog!

(Update) Read also: "Europe's first immigrant mayor is not welcome"

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