World | Islamic veil France Moves to Ban Burkas Sarkozy's party introduces bill to bar face-covering veils By Rob Quinn Posted Dec 24, 2009 3:03 AM CST Copied Two women, one wearing the niqab, a veil worn by the most conservative Muslims that exposes only a woman's eyes, walk side by side in Marseilles. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling party has introduced a bill to outlaw the wearing of full-length Islamic veils in public places. Burkas and all-covering niqabs will be banned under the bill, which would fine women who fully cover their face in public, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Veils that wholly cover a woman's face are a "violation of individual liberty” and a “negation” of one’s identity, said party chief Jean-Francois Cope. Opposition politicians ridiculed the bill for creating "clothes police." The French parliament will vote on the bill next month, before the results of a government inquiry into burkas have been published. Read These Next "Admiral Piett" of the Star Wars universe died from COVID. Trump voter who supported mass deportations could be deported herself. Shooter opens fire on Texas Border Patrol Rescuer in floods gets a poignant question. Report an error