France Bans Items of Clothing Which Cover the Face

France’s National Assembly on Tuesday backed by a crushing majority a bill banning the wearing of the full face veil in public spaces, a garment which politicians across the political spectrum regard as a symbol of religious extremism. The vote – by 335 to 1 – takes France a step closer to becoming the first democracy to ban women in the street from wearing the niqab or burka. The bill will now pass to the Senate in September where it is likely to meet little resistance. The vote is testament to the political consensus in France against the full veil even though it is a marginal phenomenon – only 2,000 women out of a Muslim population of some 5 million are thought to wear it. The vast majority of French politicians and many Muslims regard the full veil as a symbol of the oppression of women, a worrying sign of rising fundamentalism in France’s Muslim communities and an affront to France’s secular tradition and constitution. The bill does not specifically ban the face veil but prohibits anyone from wearing an item of clothing to hide his or her face in open spaces, including streets, shops, parks or cafés as well as in public services such as town halls, schools and hospitals. Offenders face a fine of €150 ($191).