Portuguese parliament approves bill banning face coverings in public

The bill stipulates fines for those wearing face veils in public (Armando Franca/AP)

Portugal’s parliament has approved a bill banning face veils worn for “gender or religious” reasons in public, in a move seen as largely targeting the face coverings worn by some Muslim women.

The measure was proposed by the far-right Chega party and would prohibit coverings such as burqas and niqabs, the full-face Islamic veil, from being worn in most public places. Face veils would still be allowed in airplanes, diplomatic premises and places of worship.

The bill stipulates fines for those wearing face veils in public ranging from between 200 euros and 4,000 euros (£174 to £3,480).

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa still has to approve the bill. He could veto it or send it to the constitutional court for review.

If signed into law, Portugal would join a number of European countries such as Austria, France, Belgium and the Netherlands who have full or partial bans on face and head coverings.

Not many women in Portugal wear such coverings but the issue of Islamic veils has generated controversy similar to other European countries.

Chega cited France and other European Union countries’ rationales for banning face coverings commonly worn by Muslim women.

The far-right Portuguese party received support from centre-right parties.

In its bill, Chega said that hiding the face subjected individuals — especially women — “to situations of exclusion and inferiority” and was incompatible with principles such as “liberty, equality, and human dignity”.