Terrorism fears have led to crackdowns on garments worn by some Muslim women. In France, where full-face veils like the burqa are already banned, three seafront towns recently prohibited full-body swimsuits, or “burkinis.” Other countries are pursuing their own bans:
GERMANY
Conservatives in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party want a ban on the full-face veil as a security measure, but on Aug. 11 her Interior Minister rejected demands.
DENMARK
Dansk Folkeparti’s Kenneth Kristensen Berth cited security reasons in proposing a burqa ban on Aug. 10, the fourth time the populist party has proposed the ban in 12 years.
BULGARIA
On June 15, Bulgaria’s National Assembly approved the first reading of a law, tabled by the nationalistic Patriotic Front party, that bans veils that partially or fully cover the face.
AUSTRIA
Far-right Freedom Party presidential candidate Norbert Hofer suggested on Aug. 13 that his party would outlaw the burqa if it came to power after October’s elections.
This appears in the August 29, 2016 issue of TIME.
