Albania is constitutionally a secular state since 1967, and as such, "neutral in questions of belief and conscience": The former Communist government declared Albania as the world's first "Atheist state", even though the Soviet Union had already done so. Believers faced harsh punishments, and many clergymen were killed. Religious observance and practice is generally lax today, and polls have shown that, compared to the populations of other countries, few Albanians consider religion to be a dominant factor in their lives. When asked about religion, people refer to their family's historical religious legacy and not to their own choice of faith. Being a secular country today, people are free to choose to believe or not, and to change their faith and beliefs.