Portugal’s parliament has approved a controversial bill banning face coverings worn for “gender or religious reasons” in public spaces; a measure widely viewed as targeting Muslim women who wear the burqa or niqab, reported by Arab News.
Proposed by the far-right Chega party, the bill passed Friday with support from several center-right lawmakers. It prohibits garments that conceal the face in most public areas, though exceptions would apply in airplanes, diplomatic buildings, and places of worship.
Under the proposal, violators could face fines ranging from €200 to €4,000 ($234 to $4,669). The bill now awaits the signature of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who may choose to sign, veto, or refer it to the Constitutional Court for review.
If enacted, Portugal would join countries such as France, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands, all of which have enacted partial or total bans on Islamic face veils in public.
While few women in Portugal wear the burqa or niqab, the legislation has ignited a debate over religious freedom and the rise of right-wing populism in Europe. Chega defended the measure as a protection of “liberty, equality, and human dignity,” claiming that concealing the face fosters exclusion and inequality.
Opponents, however, accused Chega of exploiting fear and prejudice. “This initiative is used solely to target foreigners, those who have a different faith,” said Pedro Delgado Alves, a lawmaker from the ruling Socialist Party, which voted against the bill. “No woman should be forced to wear a veil,” he said, “but banning it entirely is not the answer.”
The vote marks a symbolic moment in Portugal’s politics, where issues of identity, secularism, and immigration increasingly mirror Europe’s broader cultural divide.
