(Dutch News) A ban on wearing face-covering garments such as a burqa or niqab in government buildings, schools and on public transport comes into effect in the Netherlands on Thursday.
The ban has been 13 years in the making and dates back to the time Geert Wilders’ anti-Islam PVV party propped up a minority government formed by Mark Rutte’s VVD and the Christian Democrats.
But much remains unclear about how the ban will work in practice, with public transport firms, hospitals and even the police saying enforcing the ban, which will affect no more than 100 to 400 women, will not be a priority.
There are also many grey areas. While the ban will be in force in hospitals, it will not apply in residential parts of healthcare institutions because they are seen as private areas, broadcaster NOS said.
