Authored by Thomas Brooke via Remix News,
Portugal’s parliament has approved a proposal to ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs in public spaces, with right-wing party Chega leading the initiative and its leader, André Ventura, telling those who disagree to “catch a flight back” to their countries of origin.
The bill, supported by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Iniciativa Liberal, and CDS, passed its first reading on Thursday despite opposition from the Socialist Party (PS), Livre, the Communist Party (PCP), and the Left Bloc.
It will now be examined by the parliamentary committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, and must receive presidential sign-off before becoming law.
The proposal states that “the use of clothing designed to conceal or obstruct the display of the face in public spaces” will be prohibited, with exceptions for health reasons, places of worship, and diplomatic or consular facilities.
Penalties for violating the ban would range from €200 to €4,000.
Ventura argued that a woman “forced to wear a burqa” ceases to be “free and independent” and instead “becomes an object.” He accused the left of hypocrisy for defending women’s rights while “accepting a culture that oppresses them.”
Speaking to journalists after the vote, Ventura addressed immigrants directly.
“If you want to wear a burqa, there’s a good solution. Catch a flight and go back to your country. It’s easy to get to Portela Airport and buy a ticket back to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco — wherever you want. You’re not needed here, sorry, but that’s the way it is.”
Chega lawmaker Madalena Cordeiro echoed the party’s stance, telling parliament:
“This isn’t Bangladesh, where everything is done as they please,” and declaring, “Enough of pretending that all cultures are equal.”
Ventura also noted that several European countries, including France, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands, have already enacted full or partial bans on face coverings, citing a European Court of Human Rights ruling that upheld France’s law as compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
The bill still requires the approval of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who could sign it into law, veto it, or refer it to the Constitutional Court for review.
The debate in Portugal comes amid a broader European push to limit Islamic dress in public spaces.
In Denmark, the Danish People’s Party last week pledged to ban the hijab — a headscarf that does not cover the face — in all public places. “We must have Denmark back. A Denmark where there are no scarves in schools, where Danish is spoken in nursing homes, where the Danes are masters of their own house again,” party leader Morten Messerschmidt said.
In the Netherlands, both Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV) and Caroline van der Plas’s Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) have promised to extend the current partial burqa ban across all public institutions ahead of next week’s parliamentary elections.
Loading recommendations...