Similar to the Netherlands, Germany launches ban on niqab

Asmaa al-Batakoshi

The debate on the issue of banning the niqab in Germany, similar to the Netherlands, erupted on Thursday, August 2. In a poll by public opinion company YouGov, 54% of Germans support a ban on wearing the veil in public buildings, while 20% support a ban “to a certain extent”. In contrast, 12% of the respondents disapproved, while 14% did not specify their position.

This law is applied in public buildings such as agencies, hospitals, schools and public transport. The law prohibits the wearing of a burqa, niqab, or masks that are make the face invisible.

Three years ago, Christian Democrat Union (CDU) leader Julia Klöckner called for a ban on the niqab in Germany, which was supported by the party’s interior ministers in the German states. But at the same time, then-Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière expressed skepticism about the move.

Klöckner reiterated her objection to the niqab being worn in public places. She said in remarks to a German newspaper that it is not about tolerance, but about ignoring women and girls.

The deputy head of the CDU, Thorsten Frei, said that the niqab does not belong to Germany, but opposes the country’s values ​​and perceptions of human beings, pointing out that the German constitution does not allow the prohibition of wearing the niqab in principle, and that the ban is put in Germany in individual cases.

CDU head Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said that the headscarf in kindergartens or elementary schools had nothing to do with religion or freedom of religion, noting that many Muslims also hold this view and supported her.

German politicians from the CDU and its allies are studying the possibility of banning headscarves for girls under the age of 14, while legal doubts surround the possibility of banning headscarves for girls in Germany. The scientific service of the German parliament in 2017 concluded that this ban is not constitutionally permissible, based on previous rulings of the Supreme Constitutional Court on female teachers wearing the headscarf.

In this regard, researcher Dr. Mohamed Abdel Fadel, director of the Al-Azhar Observatory to Combat Extremism, said in a previous statement that Muslims should respect such laws unless they clash with the Islamic principles that have been learned, because these countries are working to reduce the recent spread of extremism.

Abdel Fadel pointed out that many European countries respect the Islamic teachings and do not take some Islamic manifestations as a pretext to confront extremism and terrorism, especially that the veil was not a reason for the spread of terrorist acts in Europe. He added that there is a sense of exaggeration in dealing with Muslims in many European countries.

He also stated that European governments should engage in serious discussions with Islamic communities and centers to develop laws according to their circumstances and data. He also warned against clashes between Islamic communities and governments after these decisions, so as not to result in extremist acts of terrorism.