Portuguese Parliament approved a bill banning clothing that covers the face for "gender or religious reasons" in most public places

On October 17, 2025, the Portuguese Parliament (Assembly of the Republic) approved a bill banning clothing that covers the face for "gender or religious reasons" in most public places. This primarily concerns niqabs (Islamic veils fully covering the face with an eye slit) and burqas (clothing fully covering the body). The initiative was proposed by the far-right Chega party, which gained popularity in the recent elections, and supported by several centrist and right-wing parties (PSD, IL, CDS-PP). Left-wing forces (PS, Livre, PCP, BE) voted against, while some abstained (JPP, PAN).

Legal Status

The bill has not yet entered into force: it will be reviewed by the parliamentary committee on constitutional affairs, rights, and freedoms. It will then be signed or vetoed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The president may impose a veto or refer it to the Constitutional Court for compliance review.

If signed, Portugal will join EU countries with similar bans: France (since 2011), Belgium (2010), Austria (2017), the Netherlands, and others.

Ban Details

Where banned: Public spaces, including streets, public service locations (schools, hospitals, transport), and any institutions accessible to citizens.

Exceptions: Allowed on airplanes, in diplomatic and consular premises, and places of worship (mosques, churches). Also permitted for medical reasons (masks), professional (construction workers, artists), artistic, or weather-related (scarves for cold) purposes.

Penalties:

• Fines for wearing: 200–4000 euros (depending on intent).

• Forcing to wear: up to 3 years in prison (under Article 154 of the Portuguese Criminal Code).
  In Portugal, Muslims make up about 0.4% of the population (per the 2021 census), and very few women wear full face coverings. The issue mainly affects immigrants from former colonies, the Middle East, and the Maghreb.

Arguments of the Sides

Supporters (right-wing): Cite security (identification difficulties), gender equality (niqab symbolizes women’s oppression), and social integration. They reference France, Belgium, and Denmark, where bans allegedly reduced risks. Chega emphasizes that a secular state should not fund religious expressions in public spaces from the budget (taxpayers’ money).

Opponents (left-wing, human rights advocates): Consider it discrimination against Muslim women, a violation of religious and expression freedom. Amnesty International and the UN (2018 ruling on France) call such bans a restriction on women’s rights. Critics see it as rising Islamophobia and far-right influence.

International media (The Guardian, Reuters, Al Jazeera) cover it as a step toward "Europeanization," but with caveats about minority rights. Russian-language sources (NEWS.ru, Vedomosti, European Truth) highlight parallels with Italy and Switzerland (where the burqa ban took effect in 2025).

On X (Twitter), discussions are polarized: right-wing users (e.g., @TTreasaigh, @PeterPaulGuy) welcome it as a "victory over imported oppression" and urge other countries (Britain, Ireland) to follow. Left-wing and Muslim activists (@manick62) call for a referendum and highlight human rights risks. Posts about "victory for women" gain thousands of views, but criticism focuses on Islamophobia.

This is a fresh topic (less than a week old), so the situation may change after the president’s decision.

France did this as early as April 11, 2011.

Reaction and Consequences in France

Support: The law was backed by most French people (about 80% per 2010 polls). Right-wing and centrist parties (UMP, now Les Républicains) actively promoted it. President Nicolas Sarkozy called the niqab "unwelcome" in France.

Criticism:

Muslim organizations and left-wing human rights groups (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Soros network NGOs) labeled it discriminatory, violating religious and expression freedom.

In 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee stated that the ban violates human rights by limiting women’s freedom of choice.

Some feminists criticized the law, arguing it strips women of the right to choose their clothing.

Legal Proceedings: In 2014, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the S.A.S. v. France case upheld the ban, citing the "living together" principle as a legitimate aim. However, the ruling sparked outrage among leftists and globalists.

According to the Interior Ministry, over 4,000 fines were issued from 2011 to 2020. The law intensified debates on Islamophobia and Muslim integration. Some women stopped wearing the niqab, while others limited their outings.

Current Situation (October 2025)

The ban remains in force, enforced by police. Debates continue, especially amid the rise of right-wing movements in Europe.

On X (Twitter), users discuss it in the context of new restrictions in other countries (e.g., Portugal). Posts range from support ("France set an example of secularism defense") to accusations of Islamophobia ("The law oppresses Muslim women").

France continues to serve as a model for other EU countries implementing similar measures (Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Netherlands).

Some Statistics on Niqab Bans

In the context of discussions on niqab and burqa bans in Portugal and France, here are key statistical data. I rely on official estimates and reports (including data up to 2025).

Demography: Scale of the Issue

France:

• Muslims: ~5–6 million (8–10% of the population, ~67 million).

• Women wearing niqab/burqa: ~2000 (Interior Ministry estimate, 2011–2020), or ~0.04% of Muslim women.
  Portugal:

• Muslims: ~65,000 (0.4–0.6% of the population, ~10.3 million).

• Women wearing niqab/burqa: "Extremely rare" (per the imam of Lisbon’s Central Mosque, 2025). Likely dozens or single digits—no official estimates, but <0.1% of Muslim women.
  Enforcement: 0 in Portugal so far (law under presidential review), so it has not yet taken effect. The expected impact is minimal due to the low number of cases—Muslim community leaders call it a "symbolic" step.
  Finally, Portugal followed France’s example.
  Fines: 200–4000 € (depending on intent).
  Forcing to wear: up to 3 years in prison.
  Many women (per Open Society Foundations polls, 2011) initially limited outings to avoid fines. Others, under pressure from husbands or male family members. No data shows a significant decline in wearers post-ban—the practice remains marginal. Alas, authorities have long lost the mechanism for radical change.
  Paradoxically, one of the radical left-wing movements—LGBTQ+—is among the loudest opponents of restricting Islamization in Western countries, yet they would be among the first targeted for persecution under Sharia law if Muslims came to power.