Public holidays Canton of Zurich to abolish "remnants of the dance ban"

SP, GLP and ALG cantonal parliamentarians want to "finally" abolish the "remnants of the dance ban". They demand this in a motion published on Wednesday. They argue that the distinction between days of rest and public holidays is no longer in keeping with the times.

According to the motion, the cantonal government should submit an amendment to the law to the cantonal council that abolishes the restrictions on activities, events and occasions that apply specifically to public holidays.

Neither the current number of public rest days nor the current restrictions and regulations on public rest days and Sunday sales should be changed.

"No longer in keeping with the times"

The authors of the motion are of the opinion that the distinction between days of rest and public holidays is no longer in keeping with the times. This dates back to a time when dancing was banned on high Christian holidays. "In the canton of Zurich, the largest ideological group is that of the non-denominational", they are convinced.

They write in the motion that almost nobody knows the religious background to the Swiss National Day of Prayer, for example, and can understand why commercial exhibitions, for example, should still be banned today.

The remaining major or high Christian holidays are usually only celebrated by most Zurich residents as family celebrations, but not religiously. Those who do not work shifts are happy not to have to work on these days, but have no sympathy for special regulations.