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Spain’s Congress is set for a heated debate this Tuesday February 17 as politicians consider whether to move forward with a nationwide ban on the burka and niqab in public spaces.

 

The proposal, put forward by the right wing Vox party led by Santiago Abascal, would apply across the whole of Spain, not just in regions such as Catalonia where similar discussions have surfaced before.

 

If approved, it would prohibit the use of full face veils in public spaces and in private spaces considered to have “public potential”, a term that could include places such as shopping centres, public buildings, public transport and possibly certain workplaces.

 

The bill argues that garments such as the burka and niqab have a “clear implication of eradicating women’s personal identity from collective life” and amount to “subjugating them to men”.

 

It also proposes prison sentences of up to three years for anyone who forces a woman to wear a full face veil through violence, intimidation or coercion. In addition, foreign nationals who commit a serious offence could face expulsion from Spain under the proposal.

 

Although the debate is national, the numbers in Congress mean it is unlikely the measure will pass in its current form. Junts, the Catalan separatist party, has already said it will vote against the proposal.

 

However, the situation is politically complex. Junts has stated that it shares the “basic principles” behind restricting the burka and full face veil, describing the garments as “oppression” and saying that “women’s freedom and safety are non-negotiable”.

 

Instead of backing Vox’s text, Junts plans to present its own bill to prohibit the burka and full face veil in public spaces, alongside a demand for Catalonia to have delegated state powers in matters of security and identification of individuals.

 

The centre right Partido Popular has signalled support for debating the issue, while the current government has rejected the proposal outright, arguing that it may conflict with constitutional rights including freedom of religion.

 

If a nationwide ban were ever approved, in practical terms it would mean that wearing a burka or niqab that fully covers the face would no longer be allowed in public streets, public transport, administrative offices, schools and potentially other publicly accessible venues. Police would have the authority to require identification and sanctions could follow for non-compliance. The proposed prison sentences would apply not to the wearer, but to anyone proven to have forced a woman to cover her face.

 

For now, Tuesday’s vote is about whether Congress will formally take the proposal forward for further debate. Whatever the outcome, the discussion has already sparked strong reactions across Spain and is likely to remain a hot political issue in the months ahead.

 

Image: Ji-Elle via Wikimedia Commons