Austria to ban full-face veil in public places

Austria's governing coalition has agreed to ban full-face veils in courts, schools and other public places.

The ban would apply to the niqab and burqa, the full-face or face-and-body coverings worn by some Muslim women.

The agreement was made between the ruling coalition of Social Democrats and the centrist People's party. The country’s governing coalition drew up a package of reforms to counter the rise of the far-right Freedom party, which has topped opinion polls.



"We believe in an open society that is also based on open communication. Full-body veils in public spaces stand against that and will, therefore, be prohibited," the agreement said.

Police officers, judges, magistrates and public prosecutors will not wear headscarves so that they appear "ideologically and religiously neutral" while serving the state.

Six years ago, France passed an act that made it the first European Union country to ban the niqab and burqa in public places. Belgium and some parts of Switzerland followed France's lead and similar bans have been considered in other European countries.

This article originally appeared in The Independent.