Swiss âburka banâ accepted by slim majority
No longer possible: a veiled woman pictured in Geneva. Keystone / Martial Trezzini
Supporters of a peopleâs initiative to ban face coverings in public have carried the vote with a majority of 51.2%.
This content was published on March 7, 2021 - 19:20
March 7, 2021 - 19:20
Domhnall O Sullivan
Originally from Ireland, Domhnall worked in research and writing in a couple of European countries before joining swissinfo.ch in 2017. He covers direct democracy and politics and is usually in Bern.
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A decade after another national vote that banned the building of minarets, Switzerland will introduce a clause in its constitution to outlaw face coverings, including the Islamic burka and niqab, in public spaces.
Swiss burka ban vote set for a tight result swissinfo.ch - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from swissinfo.ch Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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On Sunday, Switzerland will vote on whether to ban full facial coverings in public places, despite women in Islamic full-face veils being an exceptionally rare sight in Swiss streets.
Polls indicate a slim majority support the move, in a vote that comes after years of debate following similar bans in other European countries - and in some Muslim-majority states.
The Swiss are voting on the publicly triggered proposal Yes to a ban on full facial coverings .
It does not mention the burqa or the niqab - which leaves the eyes uncovered - but there is no doubt what the debate is about.
Swiss to vote on whether to ban full facial coverings in public japantoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from japantoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.