The German state of Bavaria held a referendum on Sunday in which voters decided to impose a complete ban on smoking in all restaurants and bars, without exceptions.

Turnout for the referendum was relatively low at 37.7 per cent, with 61 per cent of those voting favouring a complete ban on smoking.
The ban, which is the strictest ban in Germany, will take effect on 1 August, with an exception allowing limited smoking at this year's Oktoberfest. It is overturning an existing law which allows smoking in beer-tents, one-room bars and designated rooms.
The referendum was initiated by an anti-smoking campaign, headed by the Ecologic Democratic Party (ÖDP), which collected 1.3 million signatures and thus triggered Sunday's referendum. The ÖDP announced that it also plans to petition for referendums in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin. (pi)