The Portuguese parliament has voted in favour of a bill that would prohibit the wearing of garments that fully cover the face, such as burqas or niqabs, in public spaces. The proposal, introduced by the right-wing Chega party, was supported by the Social Democrats (PSD), Liberal Initiative (IL), and CDS-PP, while the Socialist Party (PS), the Communist Party (PCP), Bloco de Esquerda (BE), and Livre opposed it.
Supporters of the legislation argued that the measure aims to strengthen public safety, facilitate identification, and promote women’s rights and social integration. Violations could result in fines ranging from €200 to €4,000, though the bill includes exceptions for health, cultural, and religious reasons under specific circumstances.
During the parliamentary debate, Chega’s leadership framed the proposal as a means of protecting women from coercion, maintaining that a woman forced to wear a burqa loses autonomy and becomes objectified. The party’s leader said immigrants and others arriving in Portugal must adhere to Portuguese social norms, including the expectation that faces be visible in public. Members from the supporting parties cited concerns about identification, public order, and the belief that no tradition or imposition should erase an individual’s presence in society.
The bill will now be reviewed by the parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, which may introduce amendments before a final vote. If approved, Portugal would join a growing number of European countries that have implemented bans or restrictions on full-face coverings in public.
France became the first European country to adopt such a law in 2011, followed by Belgium in 2010, Bulgaria in 2016, and Austria in 2017. Denmark’s ban came into effect in 2018, while the Netherlands introduced a partial ban in 2012 covering public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and public transport. Norway’s parliament passed a similar restriction for educational institutions the same year, and Switzerland introduced a nationwide ban in January 2025 following a 2021 referendum.
Authorities in Zurich recently issued the first fine under the Swiss law to a woman who covered her face for religious reasons. Proponents of the measure there described the burqa as a symbol of political Islam used to subjugate women.
In Sweden, Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch has also urged a total ban on burqas and niqabs, saying that Islam must adapt to Swedish society and that such garments are incompatible with fundamental national values.
If enacted, Portugal’s measure would place it among several European countries that over the past decade have restricted face coverings in public spaces in the name of security, social cohesion, and women’s autonomy.
