THE TELEGRAPH: Belgium will today vote on whether to ban on wearing the Islamic burka in public, the first such move in Europe, just a day after the French government promised a similar law.
But a political crisis threatening the Belgian government and objections from France's constitutional watchdog mean the controversial measures might not make it into law.
Belgium's parliament was to vote on the law after its home affairs committee unanimously backed a nationwide ban on clothes or veils that do not allow the wearer to be fully identified, including the full-face niqab and burka.
With both the governing parties and the opposition supporting the measure, Thursday's vote is expected to approve the draft law.
It would allow fines of 15-25 euros (£13-£21) and/or a jail sentence of up to seven days, for anyone ignoring it unless they had police permission to wear such garments. Read on (including politically correct video) >>> | Thursday, April 22, 2010
