Belgian burqa ban equivalent to Arab bikini ban

Belgian MPs on Thursday approved a law that bans the wearing of garments that cover the face in public and encompasses full-body Muslim veils. France is considering a similar step, which the liberal daily Mladá fronta Dnes sees as justified on the one hand but on the other as pure populism: "We have to obey the rules in Muslim countries. A woman can't walk the streets in a bikini there. There are signs at the customs posts listing everything that must be kept covered in the country. Many Muslims show little understanding for people of different faiths. … But the problem is that the burqa is only worn by a couple of thousand women in Europe. Those who fight against it are above all simply trying to make themselves popular with voters."

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