March 19, 2017
SWISS GOVERNMENT REJECTS BURQA BAN. An initiative to ban niqabs and burqas by Swiss People’s party, a right-wing political party, has been rejected by the Swiss upper parliament. The clothes in question are generally worn by Muslim women; it covers their full body and face. The debate over such coverings has gathered widespread cultural tensions in a few European regions. The vote by Council of State went 26 to 9 against the measure. Interestingly, Ticino, an Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, had pushed in a ban on wearing burqas in 2016. There were four abstentions. The Swiss lower house passed the draft bill by one vote previously.
Source: Switzerland Votes No on Burqa Ban - World Religion News