Lisbon [Portugal]: Portugal’s parliament has passed a controversial bill prohibiting the wearing of face veils in public, a move widely viewed as targeting Muslim women who wear burqas or niqabs, EuroNews reported.
The legislation, introduced by the far-right Chega Party, gained parliamentary approval with backing from the centre-right PSD, Liberal Initiative, and CDS-PP parties. Left-leaning lawmakers, including those from the PS, Livre, PCP, and Bloco de Esquerda, voted against it, citing concerns over religious freedom and discrimination.
The bill bans “the use, in public spaces, of clothing intended to conceal or obstruct the display of the face,” such as burqas and niqabs. It also criminalises the act of “forcing someone to hide their face for reasons of gender or religion.”
However, several exceptions are listed, including facial coverings used for health, professional, artistic, entertainment, or publicity purposes. The law also allows face coverings in places of worship, consular premises, airplanes, and under specific security or climatic conditions.
Violators could face fines ranging from 200 to 2,000 euros for negligence, and 400 to 4,000 euros for deliberate violations, according to the report.
The bill will now be reviewed by the parliamentary committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, where amendments may still be introduced before a final plenary vote. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will then decide whether to approve, veto, or refer the law to the Constitutional Court for review.
If enacted, the ban would extend to all public areas, including streets, public buildings, transport services, sports events, and demonstrations.
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and Muslim organisations, who argue that it infringes on personal freedoms and unfairly targets a minority community. Supporters, however, claim it promotes transparency, equality, and public security.
