A senior German politician has called for a partial ban on the full-face veil for Muslim women.
Thomas de Maizière, Germany’s interior minister, said "the burqa doesn’t fit with our country and does not correspond to our understanding of the role of women," The Times reported.
He proposed banning it in some public places, including schools, universities, and public offices, and even while driving. Speaking on Friday morning, de Maizière said, "We reject the full veil — not just the burka, but the other forms of full veil where only the eyes are visible," reported the BBC.
"It doesn't fit in with our open society. Showing the face is a constituent element for our communication, the way we live, our social cohesion," de Maizière said. "That is why we call on everyone to show their face." He added that no one would be allowed to "work in public service" while wearing the full-face veil, and that anyone who breaks the rule "must feel the consequences."
For a ban to become law, it would first need to be approved by the German Parliament.
De Maizière's proposal comes at a time of heightened religious and racial tension in Germany, after a series of attacks claimed by Islamic State, and a record number of Muslims seeking asylum in the country.
The burqa is also a topic of heated debate in Europe at the moment. Just last week, the mayor of Cannes, France, banned burkinis (full-body swimsuits) on the French resort's beaches, and other coastal towns in France have introduced similar measures. Seven municipalities have banned burkinis or are planning to do so, reported The Washington Post, and the burqa has been banned in France since 2010.
The burqa was also banned in Ticino, Switzerland, last month, making it illegal for women to cover their faces in public. Women who wear them risk a fine that is the equivalent of more than $10,000.
Those who support the ban claim it's a necessary stance against the oppression of women, while critics say it threatens wearers' human rights and alienates Muslims.