The Austrian parliament has handed a legislation banning Muslim headscarves in primary schools. The laws was met with skepticism on social media however drew help from European right-wing populists.
The new ban prohibits primary college kids from carrying “ideologically or religiously influenced clothing, which involves covering of the head.” The laws particularly notes that the ban covers solely the clothes that “either cover the hair entirely or to a significant extent.”
Medical bandages, in addition to headgear worn as safety from rain or snow, don’t fall underneath the brand new restrictions. The legislation additionally particularly exempts the Jewish kippahs and the Sikh patkas from the ban.
The laws was supported solely by the MPs from the right-wing ruling coalition consisting of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s conservative People’s Party (OVP) and the right-wing Freedom Party (FPO), who retain a 60 % majority in parliament. The opposition was unanimous in rejecting the measure they branded a populist stunt.
The ruling coalition dismissed the criticism leveled by the opposition as a view “from an ivory tower,” which is “far from reality.” OVP MP, Rudolf Taschner, mentioned that the legislation was about liberating the younger women from submission whereas denouncing the scarf as a “symbol of oppression.” He additionally mentioned that “commitment to enlightenment is not populism.”
MPs backing the brand new legislation didn’t dispute the truth that it’s focusing on a particular non secular group. The FPO training spokesman, Wendelin Moelzer, brazenly mentioned that the laws is “about sending a signal against political Islam.”
However, the ruling coalition arguments seemingly did not ring a bell with the general public as folks on social media had been largely skeptical concerning the newly adopted measure and notably criticized the federal government for singling out Muslims.