According to reports, a bill to ban face coverings in public places in Portugal has been submitted to parliament for discussion. Although this initiative has caused controversy in certain circles, it could lead to significant changes in the country's legislative system.
Redaksiya reports that the bill, which will be discussed in the parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, is intended for the review of legislation related to constitutional matters. The bill was approved by parliament on Friday and stipulates fines ranging from 200 to 4000 euros (234-4670 US dollars) for using face coverings in public places. Forcing someone to wear a face covering could result in a prison sentence of up to three years.
Full face coverings such as the niqab and burqa have become a polarizing issue in Europe, with some people viewing them as a symbol of gender discrimination or assessing them as a security threat. During Friday's parliamentary session, Chega party leader André Ventura confronted several female deputies from left-wing parties who opposed the bill, but it was approved with the support of the center-right coalition. Portugal has approved a bill, proposed by the far-right Chega party and aimed at burqas and niqabs worn by Muslim women, banning face coverings used for "gender or religious motives" in most public places. Andreia Neto, a deputy from the ruling Social Democratic Party, stated before the vote that "This is a discussion about equality between men and women. No woman should be forced to cover her face." Two of the 10 parties in parliament abstained from the vote – the People-Animals-Nature party and the Unity for the People party.
If the law comes into force, it will place Portugal alongside European countries such as France, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands, which have implemented full or partial bans. Ventura stated, "Today we are protecting the female members of parliament, your daughters, our daughters, from being forced to wear a burqa in this country one day." He wrote in a post on X: "Today is a historic day for our democracy and the protection of our values, our identity, and women's rights."