European Country to Ban Female Students From Wearing Burqa

After France’s controversial ban on Muslim women wearing full-face veils, including burqas and niqabs, another European country is enforcing the same ban on female students.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Thursday that the Denmark government intends to extend its nationwide ban on full-face Islamic veils, such as the burqa and niqab, to include schools and universities.

The move would expand Denmark’s existing 2018 law, which prohibits women from covering their faces with a veil while out in public places. Frederiksen also stated her government wants to see prayer rooms removed from universities, arguing they can be used for “social control and oppression,” though she stopped short of calling for a formal ban.

Frederiksen emphasized that while individuals have the right to practice their religion, democracy must take precedence. “God has to step aside. You have the right to your faith and to practice your religion, but democracy takes precedence,” she told Danish news agency Ritzau.

The proposed measures have drawn criticism from human rights groups and religious organizations, who argue the ban is discriminatory and infringes on freedom of religion and women’s rights.

The government will begin discussions with universities about removing prayer rooms, with Frederiksen stating, “We are actively taking a position that we don’t want them because they are used as a mechanism of oppression against girls and potentially boys as well.”