Spain’s nationalist-conservative opposition party VOX has submitted a parliamentary motion urging a nationwide ban on all forms of Islamic veils—such as hijabs, niqabs, and burqas—in all public spaces. The party argues this move is essential to protect women’s rights and uphold public safety.
VOX believes the veiling of women is a form of oppression, challenging Spain’s secular values and promoting the visibility of victims of radical religious practices. The party denounces publicly funded campaigns that support veiling, criticising those that claim “freedom lies in the hijab” as harmful to European values.
The motion seeks to amend Spain’s legal framework on gender violence and children’s rights, explicitly defining the veil as discriminatory. VOX also aims to ban the wearing of the “burkini”—a form of full-body and hair-covering women’s swimwear—in public pools.
According to the initiative, “the Islamic veil, as well as any other Islamic attire or clothing, violates the fundamental rights of women and is incompatible with our identity, culture, and customs.”
The party points out that countries such as France, Austria, the Netherlands, and Switzerland have already adopted similar regulations.
The motion comes on the heels of a government report in France on how the militant Islamist faction, the Muslim Brotherhood, has infiltrated French society as part of a conscious and aggressive strategy aimed at establishing Sharia law in France.
Belgian politicians are now also calling for an official investigation to establish the true scale of the problems the Muslim Brotherhood is causing in their country.
