In Bavaria gathered to ban the burqa and the niqab
The government of Bavaria introduced a bill providing for a ban on the Muslim garment that completely covers the face — the burqa and the niqab. The ban will apply to schools and universities. Also, you can not appear in this form in the workplace and driving.
“Communication is not only words, but also includes appearance, facial expression, gestures,” — said the Minister of the interior of the earth, Joachim Herrmann.
He noted that the custom to hide the face is contrary to the culture of communication that exists in Germany. According to the Minister, communication is one of the conditions of existence of a democratic society.
Opponents of the ban say it will have little practical value, as in Bavaria, home to not a very large Muslim community. According to opponents of the ban, this measure is populist and is accepted due to the upcoming Federal parliamentary elections scheduled for September this year.
According to critics of the bill, the ruling coalition is populist steps to curb the growth in popularity of the eurosceptics and opponents of the admission of migrants and refugees from the party “Alternative for Germany”.
The absolute majority of seats in the local Parliament belongs to the Christian social Union. As noted by commentators, the bill can be adopted before the beginning of the summer holidays.
In December of last year German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the first time spoke in favor of the ban on wearing the country the burqa and niqab. Earlier, the interior Ministry of the state of Hesse has forbidden civil servants to come to work in a burqa.
In late January the ruling coalition in Austria has introduced a bill which introduced a ban on the wearing in public of Muslim women’s clothing that completely covers the face.
Over the last few years several European countries have imposed restrictions on the wearing in public of Muslim women’s clothing. France in 2011 became the first European country that officially banned the wearing of burqas and other face concealing clothing in public.
In the same year, a ban on the wearing of hiding the face of Muslim women’s garments were introduced in Belgium, and in September 2016, a similar bill approved by the lower house of the Swiss Parliament.