Sarkozy goes ahead with full ban on veil
Source: Agencies |
April 22, 2010, Thursday
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FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday ordered legislation banning women from wearing Islamic veils that hide the face in public.
In so doing, he defied expert advice warning that such a broad ban risked contravening France's constitution.
Neighboring Belgium is also moving toward a ban.
Sarkozy has repeatedly said that such clothing oppresses women and is "not welcome" in France.
Government spokesman Luc Chatel said after yesterday's weekly Cabinet meeting that the president decided the government should submit a bill to parliament in May on an overall ban on burqa-like veils "in all public places."
The decision to seek a full ban, rather than a limited ban, came as a surprise. After a Cabinet meeting just a week ago, the government spokesman announced a decision for legislation that bans the veil but takes into account conclusions on the matter by the Council of State, France's highest administrative office.
The government had sought the council's opinion to ensure a law would pass constitutional muster. The Council of State advised that a full ban would be "legally very fragile." A six-month parliamentary inquiry also concluded that a full ban would raise constitutional issues, as well as enforcement problems.
"It's a transgression, an aggression even, on the level of personal liberty," said Abdellatif Lemsibak, a member of the National Federation of Muslims of France. "The Muslims have the right to an orthodox expression of their religion ... it shocks me."
France is a firmly secular country but has western Europe's largest Muslim population, estimated at some 5 million. France worries about clashes in values as well as about a spread of radical Islam. Authorities widely see the veil in light of gender equality and security issues.
In neighboring Belgium, a similar initiative for a ban on full veils in public, is expected to become law in July.
Muslim leaders in France say that the face-covering veil is not a religious requirement of Islam but have cautioned against banning the garment.
The government spokesman said the French president considered that burqa-style veils that hide the face, such as niqabs, "do not pose a problem in a religious sense, but threaten the dignity of women."
In so doing, he defied expert advice warning that such a broad ban risked contravening France's constitution.
Neighboring Belgium is also moving toward a ban.
Sarkozy has repeatedly said that such clothing oppresses women and is "not welcome" in France.
Government spokesman Luc Chatel said after yesterday's weekly Cabinet meeting that the president decided the government should submit a bill to parliament in May on an overall ban on burqa-like veils "in all public places."
The decision to seek a full ban, rather than a limited ban, came as a surprise. After a Cabinet meeting just a week ago, the government spokesman announced a decision for legislation that bans the veil but takes into account conclusions on the matter by the Council of State, France's highest administrative office.
The government had sought the council's opinion to ensure a law would pass constitutional muster. The Council of State advised that a full ban would be "legally very fragile." A six-month parliamentary inquiry also concluded that a full ban would raise constitutional issues, as well as enforcement problems.
"It's a transgression, an aggression even, on the level of personal liberty," said Abdellatif Lemsibak, a member of the National Federation of Muslims of France. "The Muslims have the right to an orthodox expression of their religion ... it shocks me."
France is a firmly secular country but has western Europe's largest Muslim population, estimated at some 5 million. France worries about clashes in values as well as about a spread of radical Islam. Authorities widely see the veil in light of gender equality and security issues.
In neighboring Belgium, a similar initiative for a ban on full veils in public, is expected to become law in July.
Muslim leaders in France say that the face-covering veil is not a religious requirement of Islam but have cautioned against banning the garment.
The government spokesman said the French president considered that burqa-style veils that hide the face, such as niqabs, "do not pose a problem in a religious sense, but threaten the dignity of women."
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