Spanish Right Pushes for Ban on Burqas in Public Places

The Spanish political scene has been dominated by a growing dispute concerning religious freedom and public safety. The People's Party (PP) announced in Murcia that it intends to submit proposals in all legislative chambers to completely ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs. This trend is already materializing at the local level. In Palma de Mallorca, councilors passed a resolution prohibiting face coverings in public places and on public transport. The Vox party achieved similar success in Toledo, where, with the support of PP, analogous regulations were pushed through. The Barcelona city council adopted a decidedly different stance, firmly rejecting the proposal to introduce such restrictions. Parallel to the cultural debates, Spain is being shaken by new episodes of corruption and political scandals. The National Court (Audiencia Nacional) decided to postpone the deadline for Víctor de Aldama to hand over evidence regarding the alleged illegal financing of the ruling PSOE party. This case, linked to the so-called Koldo affair, is widening its circles, also encompassing an investigation into the airline Plus Ultra. A Senate investigative committee announced it will again summon Isabel Pardo de Vera, the former Secretary of State, whose role in contacts with Chinese medical equipment suppliers raises serious concerns among investigators following the publication of the UCO report. Spain has been grappling with the dilemma of cultural integration for years, and the issue of banning religious head coverings that conceal the face has resurfaced in public debate since 2010, mirroring similar legislative processes in France and Belgium.Within the right-wing camp itself, tensions are rising between the Vox party and the People's Party. The party led by Santiago Abascal is considering a model of cooperation with PP involving supporting governments without entering into a coalition, which would allow greater freedom in dictating radical programmatic demands. Former Prime Minister José María Aznar weighed in on the matter, warning against succumbing to „right-wing populism”, which sheds light on the deep strategic divisions within the conservative camp. Meanwhile, in Alicante, a scandal erupted related to irregularities in the sale of protected housing, forcing local authorities to take disciplinary action against developers. „España no puede caer en el populismo de derechas” (Spain cannot fall into right-wing populism) — José María Aznar

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize the risk of stigmatizing minorities and violating religious freedom through bans initiated by the right. Conservative press presents the burqa ban as a necessary step for security and the defense of Western civilization values.