Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced plans on Thursday to expand the country’s ban on full-face Islamic veils to include schools and universities, citing concerns over integration and women’s rights.
The current ban, in place since 2018, already prohibits garments like the burqa and niqab in public spaces. Offenders face fines. Frederiksen now wants the restriction extended to educational institutions and has also called for the removal of prayer rooms at universities, which she claims are used for “social control and oppression.”
“God has to step aside,” Frederiksen told Danish news agency Ritzau. “Democracy takes precedence.”
She confirmed that her government would begin discussions with universities to remove prayer spaces, stating, “We are actively taking a position that we don’t want them.”
Frederiksen said the goal is to reduce practices she views as oppressive, particularly to women. “I’m the prime minister of Denmark. I’m also a woman. And I can’t tolerate the oppression of women,” she added.
The existing veil ban has drawn criticism from human rights advocates and religious groups, who argue it violates freedom of religion. Supporters, however, say it promotes integration and protects Muslim women from coercion.
