World
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives agree that women should be banned from wearing full face veil, burqa, in public places, as the garment doesn’t fit with the country’s liberal-minded society. Maiziere stopped short of declaring his endorsement for a blanket ban on burqa, as has been demanded by the hard right Christian Union bloc.
Analysts say that Maiziere’s remarks reflect a “compromise with hardliners,” as the rightwing populist Alternative for Germany (Af.D.) party seems to hold a strong ground going into two key state elections next month, reports The Guardian.
The comment follows a huge influx of mainly Muslim migrants in Germany in the past one year and mounting concern over public security after two Islamist attacks in recent weeks, writes Reuters. The debate over burqa ban has led to a split within Merkel’s ruling coalition, with Social Democrat (S.P.D.) junior coalition partners labeling the calls a sign of “increasingly xenophobic” political discourse in Germany.
Earlier this week, Merkel sharply dismissed the suggested correlation between influx of migrants and increasing threat of terrorism in Germany, an argument, which Af.D. has been using to win over populist sentiments ahead of regional elections.
