Deputies of the lower house of the Swiss Assembly adopted today by a majority vote the ban on wearing the traditional Muslim burqa, which was proposed by the ruling populist Democratic Union of the Center.
In order for the ban to enter into force, the decision of the lower house, that is, the National Council, must be confirmed by the deputies of the Canton Council, that is, the upper house of the Assembly.
At the same time, a federal people's initiative to ban the burqa was launched, led by the Swiss right, after which a referendum could follow if enough signatures are collected.
Right-wing activists formed a committee and launched a campaign to collect signatures, and 100.000 signatures of citizens are needed to call a federal referendum on banning the burqa.
The committee announced that the campaign is still ongoing, and the legal deadline for collecting the required number of signatures is 18 months, while the referendum can be called within two years.
The results of a survey conducted in August by the daily newspaper Le Matin Dimanche showed that 71 percent of Swiss people support the burqa ban.
Wearing the burqa is allowed in almost all parts of Switzerland, except in the canton of Tessen in the south of the country, where a referendum was held three years ago in which the majority of voters voted for the ban.
The ban came into force on July 1, and a fine of at least 100 francs (90 euros) is prescribed for its violation.
About 300.000 Muslims live in Switzerland, and the women who wear the burqa in the cities are mostly tourists from the Middle East.
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