Portugal has enacted a law banning the use of full-face veils in public spaces, a measure the government states is intended to protect "human identity." The legislation, pushed by the far-right and adopted by parliament in July, prohibits garments designed to conceal the face or prevent identification.
President Antonio Jose Seguro stated that the face is a "central element of human identity and communication." The law was passed with votes from the right-wing governing coalition and the far-right, while left-wing parties opposed it. Local media have referred to the law as the 'burqa law,' a term derived from the garment worn by some Muslim women.
Violators of the ban in Portugal face fines ranging from 150 to 3,000 euros. Exemptions are provided for health, professional, artistic, or weather-related needs, as well as for use within places of worship, diplomatic missions, and on airplanes.
The new regulations also prohibit any coercion that forces an individual to cover their face based on gender, religion, age, or origin. Rights campaigners have noted that such bans can infringe upon women's rights by dictating their attire.
In parallel, the government of Spain's Balearic Islands is considering a similar ban on burqas and niqabs. This initiative, initially proposed by the right-wing Vox and People's Party of the Balearic Islands, has faced opposition from other political parties. Vox has proposed significant fines and potential prison sentences for those who force women to wear such coverings, arguing that their normalization represents a "medieval regression."