Source: Spain Burqa Ban: Spanish Parliament To Consider Banning Islamic Veils In Public

MADRID — Spanish lawmakers will debate barring burqas in public, joining other European countries considering similar moves on the grounds that the body-covering garments are degrading to women, the leading opposition party said Sunday.

Top officials of the ruling Socialist Party have indicated they will support the proposal by the opposition Popular Party, making a ban likely unless the country's highest court rules it unconstitutional.

A debate in Spain's lower house has been set by the Popular Party for Tuesday or Wednesday, the party said.

No vote will be scheduled until after the debate, and Spain's Parliament usually goes on vacation for a month starting in late July or early August.

Justice Minister Francisco Caamano said on June 15 that garments like the burqa are "hardly compatible with human dignity."

Head-covering veils would not be included in a ban as they form a part of traditional Spanish dress, with women often covering their heads with a garment called a mantilla, especially during church services in the south of the country.

Other European nations that have debated regulating the use of body-covering burqas or face-covering niqabs include Belgium, the Netherlands and France.

A notable exception has been Britain, where Immigration Minister Damian Green described calls to outlaw such garb as "un-British."

"Telling people what they can and can't wear, if they're just walking down the street, is a rather un-British thing to do," he told the Sunday Telegraph.

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This is a thinly veiled (pun intended) anti-immigrant effort as well. Why no uproar?

It's part of their religion. What's the big deal?

Hmm, I can't say I'm mad at that. IDK, I mean those aren't Arab countries. Imagine if a woman were to go these countries rocking short shorts, that wouldn't even be allowed. You would have to assimilate to the culture so you can survive.

However the way they dress is apart of their religion.

Definitely is muddy, definitely controversial.

I think it should be up to the woman, not the country....but whatever.

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dp

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spanish goverment needs to focus on it's fucked up economy right now... making laws for less than 1% of the population GTFOH

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It's part of their religion and part of their culture, a culture which overwhelming treat women as 2nd class citizens, NO LAW IS ABSOLUTE....

Its up to each country to run their country how they see fit. I support Saudi's right to ban women from not covering their head in public and dressing according to their standards and I also support Spain and other European's right to ban women from covering their head/face with a burqa.

I totally agree.

Actually, the burqua isnt a requirement in Islam, thats a cultural thing

This is the big deal people

What's the problem??? They can still wear the hijab ,it still protects their modesty and can still practice their religion.

depends on where you're at...some places it is a requirement, they say it's part of their religion some places like Jordan it isn't a requirement it's simply part of their culture...either way it kinda sucks....

If anything protest islamic women's right to own property or be educated, which some countries forbid. But modesty is a virtue these women freely embrace as evidenced by them still donning burqas in a non-islamic country despite having a choice. This speaks to their personal values and clearly their expression of modesty is important to them. It's beyond absurd to attack this religious freedom; those who don't wish to participate wont.

We have an obligation to respect other cultures & not fracture them. That new law is tyrannical, extremist and it borders on an anthropological terrorism of some kind. It's ethnocentrism/monoculturalism which is a crime against humanity.