As of 2009, there is a controversy in Switzerland about the construction of minarets. A minaret is a tower-like structure belonging to a mosque. Its main use is to call the worshippers to prayer, much like a belltower of a Christian church. On 1st May 2007, the Swiss People's Party and the Federal Democratic Union launched a popular referendum. They want to ban the construction of minarets in Switzerland. The Swiss people voted in favor of the issue on November 29, 2009. 