Belgian Parliament Vote to Ban Full-Face Veils in Public

Belgian Parliament Vote to Ban Full-Face Veils in Public

Belgium’s lower house of parliament has voted to ban the wearing of the burqa in public.

The Senate’s approval is expected to be a formality, which would make Belgium the first European country to criminalise the full Islamic veil, Euronews informs.

The Belgian lower house of parliament earlier on Thursday voted 136 in favor of the ban and none against, with two abstentions.

The bill could become law in the coming months as the upper house, or Senate, is not expected to block it.

However, the prospect of an imminent election, brought on by the collapse of Belgium's coalition government, could cause a delay because parliament would have to be dissolved, Press TV reports.