The victory of an asylum seeker who became a Christian in Austria could set a precedent for other new believers in Europe.

Just 20.96% of registered voters cast ballots, less than the 30% needed for the result to be valid.

Romania’s senators voted to change the country’s constitution so that it defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The national referendum will be held in October.

The European Court of Justice sides with Finnish data protection authorities. Preachers will have to inform about the personal data collected during their campaigns.

The sentence says churches can only demand confessional allegiance when the job profile made it “significant, legal and justified”. In Germany, churches and their affiliated institutions are the second largest employer.

Slovakia and Hungary had challenged the scheme arguing the arrival of asylum seekers is a threat to their societies.

The problem with the ECJ ruling on religious clothing is that it seems to be working on the assumption that secularism is ‘neutral’. But this is a myth.

According to the ECJ, “banning the visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious sign does not constitute direct discrimination.”