The Spanish Congress of Deputies rejected on Tuesday a bill by the Vox party that proposed a total ban on wearing burqas and niqabs in public spaces. Although the initiative was supported by the People's Party, the decisive factor was the opposition from the Junts per Catalunya party. The formation led by Carles Puigdemont, despite supporting the idea of restrictions itself, refused to vote on the far-right's text, while simultaneously registering its own proposal for regulating face coverings in public places.

Rejection of Vox's Bill

The Congress of Deputies did not adopt the far-right's proposal after Junts decided to vote against the text by Santiago Abascal.

PP and Vox Alliance

The People's Party supported the initiative, which is interpreted as a gesture toward Vox to unblock negotiations in regional governments of Aragon and Extremadura.

Junts' Counterproposal

The party of Carles Puigdemont submitted its own regulatory proposal, linking the security issue with a demand for greater autonomy for Catalonia in migration policy.

Penalties for Violating the Ban

The rejected bill envisaged drastic fines, which in extreme cases could amount to up to 20,200 euros and the threat of deportation.

The Spanish Congress of Deputies became the arena for a heated debate over the burqa and the niqab. The right-wing party Vox presented a bill aimed at eliminating these garments from public spaces, arguing on grounds of national security and the protection of women's dignity. This initiative gained the support of the People's Party (PP), which is interpreted as an attempt to bring the two formations closer amid difficult negotiations in regional governments. The PP leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, had previously signaled readiness to support restrictions, which drew criticism from the government and the left-wing coalition Sumar. The debate on banning face coverings in Europe gained momentum after 2011, when France became the first European Union country to introduce a total ban on wearing burqas in public places, a decision later upheld by the European Court of Human Rights. The key role in the legislative process was played by the Junts per Catalunya party. Although this group advocates for regulating the issue of face coverings, it categorically rejected the proposal by Santiago Abascal. Junts representatives emphasized that they never support initiatives originating from Vox, which they describe as a xenophobic formation. Instead, the Catalan separatists registered their own bill, simultaneously demanding the transfer of competences in immigration to the regional level. „Vox only seeks to create a framework of hatred, and the proposed measures involve imposing penalties on women or their deportation.” — Verónica Martínez Opponents of the ban, including representatives of Pedro Sánchez's government, emphasize that the phenomenon of wearing burqas in Spain is marginal. They also point to the risk of social isolation for women, who, after the introduction of financial penalties—reaching up to 20,200 euros in the Vox bill—could be completely confined to their homes by their conservative environments. Experts note that the Supreme Court had previously warned against restricting religious freedom without clear evidence of a threat to public order.

Mentioned People

  • Alberto Núñez Feijóo — Leader of the Spanish People's Party, who supported the proposal to ban face coverings.
  • Santiago Abascal — President of the right-wing Vox party, the sponsor of the bill.
  • Carles Puigdemont — Leader of Junts per Catalunya, whose party blocked the Vox bill.
  • Verónica Martínez — Parliamentary spokesperson for Sumar, criticizing the bill as spreading hatred.