According to a new study, 75% of Swiss voters want to ban face coverings.
Three-quarters of Swiss people support banning the burqa in all public places, a study has shown.
Three in four Swiss support an initiative to ban all face coverings in public – which would effectively ban the Muslim veil. Â
A survey of 1,167 people conducted by two Swiss Sunday papers found 76 per cent of those spoken to were in favor of the initiative.
This was compared with 20 per cent who disagreed and three per cent who said they had ‘no view’ on the issue.
The initiative ‘Yes to a ban on face coverings’ garnered more than the required 100,000 signatures last September to put the decision to a popular vote, reports The Local.Â
This put the initiative on the ballot under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy, which lets voters decide major policy issues.Â
The measure was proposed by a group including MPs from the nationalist Swiss People’s Party that was also behind a ban on building minarets in Switzerland.Â
This included some Muslim garments.
The group called for it to be made illegal for anyone to cover their face in public. Some exceptions include local custom, the weather and health and safety reasons.
Such a law would mean the effective ban of the hijab, niqab and burka, although the committee says it is also targeting hooligans who cover their face for criminal intent.
This is a very interesting study. The Daily Mail called it a Burqa ban but I wonder how many of these respondents actually were thinking of the Burqa when responding. Now, there is no doubt the failure that was the refugee crisis has made the Burqa a hot topic in Europe but until any bill is passed I’m skeptical that this will move forward.
