Burkini

VOX pushes for national ban on Islamic veils in Spain The right-wing Spanish party says the veil 'violates the fundamental rights of women and is incompatible with our identity, culture, and customs.'

(European Conservative) Spain’s nationalist-conservative opposition party VOX has submitted a parliamentary motion urging a nationwide ban on all forms of Islamic veils — such as hijabs, niqabs, and burqas — in all public spaces. The party argues this move is essential to […]

Academics & Education

As election wrangling heats up, French pols draw on old foe: headscarves Politicians including presidential contenders are backing expanded controls on hijabs, abayas and burkinis — part of ongoing bids to woo voters concerned about France's tradition of laïcité, or secularism.

(Courthouse News) In modern French politics, little is certain. But there is one constant: The debate over the veil — the headscarf that Muslim women might wear in various forms — will always resurface. With the presidential election approaching in 2027 and […]

Burkini

Catalan parliament rejects far-right motion on ban on Islamic veil Pro-independence Junts defends the ban in some cases but voted against text saying 'nothing is built from hatred'

(Catalan News) The Catalan parliament has rejected a motion by far-right pro-independence party Aliança Catalana for a ban on the different forms of Islamic veil in public spaces. The text only received the support of the conservative People’s Party and far-right Vox, […]

Burkini

‘Burkini’ row erupts in Italy after mayor criticises Muslim beachgoers The mayor of a northern Italian town has sparked outrage by warning 'Muslim foreigners' to stop swimming 'with their clothes on' when visiting Italian beaches.

(Local) Italy is known for having some of Europe’s stricter rules on covering up in public, with regular reports of outrage over nudity and revealing swimwear. But on Wednesday, one politician from the nationalist League party in northern Italy sparked controversy by […]

Burkini

Council of State suspends burkini ban in south-eastern France The Council of State ruled that the ban violated 'three fundamental freedoms: freedom of movement, freedom of conscience, and personal freedom.'

(Morocco World News) The Council of State, France’s highest court, has suspended the burkini ban imposed by the municipality of Mandelieu-la-Napoule on its beaches, arguing that there was no evidence that the burkini posed risks to public order. This ruling by the […]

Academics & Education

French ministry bashes religious symbols proposals Lawmakers adopt measures against religious symbols on parents accompanying children on school trips

(Anadolu) France’s interior minister on Wednesday criticized two legal amendments adopted by lawmakers prohibiting parents from wearing visible religious symbols while accompanying their children on school trips and allowing public swimming pools to ban “burkini” swimwear. Gerald Darmanin said the measures, approved […]

Burkini

More Finnish swimming pools offering women-only hours A number of swimming pools in Finland are introducing shifts or courses geared towards immigrants, especially women.

(Yle) Several public as well as private swimming pools in Finland are taking measures to encourage immigrants, particularly women, to learn how to swim. The Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation, an organisation dedicated to improving swimming skills and reducing drowning deaths […]

Burkini

Burkinis should be allowed in public pools, non-discrimination ombudsman says The ombudsman said banning the swimsuits is gender- and religion-based discrimination.

(Yle) Kirsi Pimiä, the non-discrimination ombudsman, has recommended that Finland’s public swimming pools should permit the use of burkinis, the body-covering bathing suits sometimes used by Muslim women. Pimiä said she became aware of cases of burkini-wearing women having been turned away […]

Burkini

Muslim fashion for women exhibition stirs controversy in Germany First shown in San Francisco, an exhibition taking a look at Islamic fashion has provoked strong reactions ahead of its opening in Frankfurt. 'Contemporary Muslim Fashions' confronts stereotypes on both Islam and style.

(Deutsche Welle) Muslim head coverings have always been a controversial topic, as they embody so many issues, whether women’s rights worldwide or Western prejudice and discrimination against Muslims. Now that the first exhibition dedicated to fashion consciousness of women in Islam is […]