Denmark joins France, Bulgaria, Belgium and The Netherlands against burqas.
If everything goes as anticipated, Denmark will be the latest European state to limit the wearing of niqab and burqa[/tweetit]. Both are clothes worn by Muslim women. Implementation of this ban was approved by most Danish political parties in the country's parliament. Other than Denmark, France, Bulgaria, Belgium and the Netherlands have already banned full face coverings. Bavaria, a state of Germany, has also legislated a ban.
Denmark is Supporting the Ban on Burqas[/tweetthis]
The ban is supported by all mainstream Danish political parties. The present government in Denmark is a center-right one, with a coalition of three parties. The government is supported by the Danish People's Party. The Social Democrats form the opposition and all of them are in favor of the ban. Discussions are on regarding the design of the ban and also its enforcement. Anders Samuelsen, the Foreign Minister of Denmark, has reiterated that a masking ban will soon be enforced on Denmark.
There is a difference between a niqab and burqa. Every part of the body, except the eyes, is covered by the niqab. The burqa covers eyes with a transparent veil. Jacob Ellemann-Jensen, the Liberal Party spokesperson, clarified the restriction saying, “This is not a ban on religious clothing, this is a ban on masking.” This restriction would affect 200 women who regularly wear these clothes in Denmark.
Samuelsen's party, the Liberal Alliance, has previously fiercely opposed the ban. Its earlier stance was that the ban restricted the ability of Danish citizens and women living within the country to select the attire they want to wear. However, the stance of the Liberal Alliance is now in consonance with other Danish political parties like the Liberals and the Conservatives.
'Extreme oppression of women': Denmark to ban burqa https://t.co/XFTRJ4LMw0 pic.twitter.com/dxXXnfKIsX
— David Moore (@mooredavid1970) October 7, 2017
Denmark's biggest party, the Social Democrats, has said that it will support the ban on clothes like the burqa. The party said that it is doing so as this practice oppresses women. Mette Fredriksen, the leader of the Social Democrats, said that the party is all set to ban burqa if it is required. The leader also admitted that discussions continue on the matter of how such a ban will be enforced. Norway, another Northern European nation, has also proposed a ban on all face-covering Muslim veils inside universities, kindergartens, and schools.
The Liberal Alliance and the Liberals, by expressing support for the ban, are on the same side as Danish People's Party and the Conservatives. The Danish People's Party is a populist political entity. It is clear that nothing could become a barrier for one more European nation to introduce such a ban.