German minister proposes full-face burqa ban in public places

Germany’s interior minister on Friday proposed partially banning the full-face burqa Islamic veil, as a debate on integration rages after two jihadist attacks and ahead of key state elections.

The call by Thomas de Maiziere comes as Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government attempts to address public fears surrounding last year’s record influx of nearly 1.1 million migrants and refugees, most from predominantly Muslim countries.

It also echoed a controversial decision by several French towns in recent weeks to outlaw burqinis, the full-body Islamic swimsuit, at a highly sensitive time for relations with the Muslim community following a series of Islamist attacks.

De Maiziere, one of Merkel’s closest allies, said after a meeting with regional counterparts from his conservative bloc that the burqa ban would cover “places where it is necessary for our society’s coexistence” including government offices, schools and universities, courtrooms, demonstrations and behind the wheel.

He told reporters that the full-face veil “does not belong in our cosmopolitan country”, adding that it was “not a security issue but an integration issue”.

The minister acknowledged that the burqa was not a common sight on German streets, calling the proposed ban a “preventive measure”.

“Of course the issue of the full veil stands for the question which role certain branches of Islam play in Germany,” he said.