The Dutch parliament is on the point of passing a law that would end the slaughter of animals by ritual religious methods before they had been stunned or anaesthetised.
Both Jewish and Muslim proponents of halal and kosher meat say that religious rules do not permit the animals to be unconscious when they are killed.
The proposal originated with the Netherlands' Party for the Animals, whose two seats in parliament make it the world's only animal rights party with representatives in a national legislature. Marianne Thieme, its charismatic young leader, says religious leaders who object to the law are trying to hold back history.
"Here in our society we no longer accept that animals must suffer," says Ms Thieme. Religious groups have often opposed progressive social change, she adds. "We saw the same thing with women's rights."
For some, the argument is a scientific one. Many veterinarians believe animals suffer more during unstunned slaughter and remain conscious for up to a few minutes longer while dying. Ms Thieme says religious-liberty rights do not extend to harming other people or animals. Most in parliament back that view. A government-commissioned report by the University of Wageningen cited the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe and humane-slaughter expert Temple Grandin in support of the ban.
Ms Thieme's proposal was backed by Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV), and the mainly secular Liberal party. The opposition Labour party also supported it, favouring its animal rights wing over its substantial Muslim constituency. Ironically, the main opponents of the ban are the Christian Democrats, along with a tiny Calvinist party, the SGP. Both empathise with conservative religious groups out of step with secular norms.
The fury of the religious lobby is acknowledged by Marianne Thieme. She said: "I understand that the emotions run high," says Ms Thieme, "because you think that your religious community has been doing things the best possible way for thousands of years, and it's painful to be confronted with scientific facts that show otherwise."
Both Jewish and Muslim defenders of unstunned ritual slaughter are claiming that this is not about protecting animals from cruelty but about pushing these minorities out of the country.
There is no unanimity, however, among
liberals on this, and Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, the Liberal Democrat's
spokesperson on Justice and Human Rights wrote
to the Financial Times opposing the Dutch
proposals (subscription required).
See also: Dutch
Muslim, Jews call for humane slaughter plans to be dropped
'Non-stun'
halal group formed