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The Region of Murcia rejects Vox proposal to ban burkas in public places
Although nothing will change in Murcia for now, the wider debate in Spain is far from settled
The Regional Assembly of Murcia has rejected a motion by Vox to ban the wearing of the burka and niqab in all public spaces under regional jurisdiction, including schools, universities, hospitals, sports facilities and playgrounds. It's the second time in just three months that an almost identical motion has been put forward and voted down, with PSOE, Podemos and IU all voting against and the People's Party choosing to abstain.
The debate is taking place against a backdrop of growing tension across Spain over the issue. At the end of last month, both Cartagena and Granada became the latest flashpoints when local governments moved to restrict access to public buildings for women whose faces are fully covered.
In Cartagena, a Vox motion backed by the PP passed at council level, although it was amended to require a study into its legal viability before anything is implemented.
In Granada, a similar Vox motion also passed with PP support, with the result that women wearing the burka or niqab will not be permitted to enter provincial government offices from now on.
Both developments came just days after Spain's Congress of Deputies rejected a national proposal to ban the garments in all public spaces, highlighting just how far the country is from reaching any kind of consensus on the matter.
Back in the Regional Assembly on Wednesday March 11, Vox's María José Ruiz led the defence of the motion, arguing that "certain garments linked to a specific religious interpretation perpetuate a model of female subjugation incompatible with equality."
The PP put forward an amendment that would have broadened the motion to cover any garment or item that conceals the face, rather than targeting Islamic clothing specifically, but Vox declined to accept it and attempts to negotiate a compromise came to nothing.
Speaking against the motion, PSOE's Toñi Abenza pointed out that "everything that violates women's fundamental rights is already prohibited under our legislation," adding that feminism should not seek to question the choices women make for themselves.
Podemos MP María Marín was more direct in her criticism, accusing Vox of using the debate as a distraction from other matters and claiming that the party is “obsessed” with banning the burka and niqab.
The broader national debate shows little sign of resolution. Vox and parts of the PP argue that wider restrictions are necessary, while the governing parties and left-wing groups maintain that existing laws already give police the powers they need to request identification when required.
Image: sittiealiah M A via Wikimedia Commons
