Politics
A ban has been imposed on women wearing the niqab and burqa in public spaces in Lleida, a city in Catalonia in eastern Spain.
A ban has been imposed on women wearing the niqab and burqa in public spaces in Lleida, a city in Catalonia in eastern Spain. According to foreign media reports, the Lleida Municipal Council has approved regulations on “civic conduct and coexistence,” which prohibit the use of clothing that completely covers the face, such as the burqa and niqab. According to reports, under the regulations approved in Lleida, which is governed locally by the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) and Junts, violators of the ban on wearing the burqa or niqab will face fines ranging from €400 to €750. Places of worship and other locations where such clothing is permitted have reportedly been exempted from the ban. Mayor Fèlix Larrosa said the decision was taken after consultations with leaders of the Muslim community living in Lleida, where Muslims account for approximately 9 percent of the population. The issue of banning the burqa and niqab has once again become a topic of debate in Europe after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made statements on the matter. It is worth noting that the Italian government has also approved regulations banning the use of face-covering garments such as the burqa and niqab in schools.
