Belgian lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Thursday to ban the wearing of the Islamic burqa in public, paving the way for the first clampdown of its kind in Europe.
In the lower house of federal parliament, 136 deputies voted to ban nationwide clothes or veils that do not allow the wearer to be fully identified, including the full-face niqab and burqa.
There were two abstentions. No one voted against.
The upper house of parliament has two weeks to raise any objections to the decision.
The ban will be imposed in streets, public gardens and sports grounds or buildings “meant for public use or to provide services” to the public, according to the text of the bill.
Exceptions could be allowed for certain festivities like carnivals if municipal authorities decide to grant them.
People who ignore the new law could face a fine of 15-25 euros (20-34 dollars) and/or a jail sentence of up to seven days, unless they have police permission to wear the garments.
All governing parties and the opposition agreed on the move -- most on the basis that people cannot be recognised wearing the clothing.
“It’s not about introducing any form of discrimination,” Daniel Bacquelaine, head of the liberal MR party in the house told the lawmakers, but for cases when such clothing was “aimed at stopping people from being identified.”
The ban comes amid controversy in the kingdom over the wearing of Muslim religious symbols in public places.
In June last year, a Belgian lawmaker of Turkish origin was sworn in at the Brussels regional parliament wearing an Islamic headscarf in a first for the country.
At the time opponents of the veil distributed flyers at the entry to the assembly building, but they did not disturb proceedings as 26-year-old Mahinur Ozdemir was triumphantly sworn in to applause and camera flashes.
Controversy has also raged elsewhere in Europe over the wearing of Muslim veils and other religious garments in state or public institutions.