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The French Government aims to outlaw the wearing of full veils on state premises and on public transport.
President Sarkozy laid down future action on the burqa, as it is popularly known, on Wednesday in an attempt to end a feud in his centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and calm passions in and outside France's large Muslim population. Following the controversy, France is backing away from an outright ban on Muslim women covering their faces.
Mr Sarkozy, all main parties and most of the public are opposed to women wearing full veils but, after six months of parliamentary hearings, it has become apparent that a blanket ban would be unworkable and likely to backfire.
In Wednesday's New Year speech to MPs, the President sought to quash an attempt by Jean-Francois Cope, his party's Parliamentary leader, to rush through an "anti-burka law". Mr Cope, who is in dispute with the UMP leadership, has tabled a Bill under which women who wear full veils anywhere in public would face a £670 fine. Their husbands or other accompanying men would also face fines.