Excerpt:
Chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken out against a ban on the burqa in Germany. However, she has expressed concern about its role in facilitating the integration of Muslim minorities.
In an interview with the German news organization RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland on Thursday, Merkel said she was opposed to a ban on the body-covering garment known as the burqa, which is worn by some female Muslims.
When asked about the possibility of a ban, similar to the one imposed in France several years ago, Merkel responded by saying she fully supports the position of her interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, who has come out against such a measure.