The CDU women’s union has called for a total ban on face coverings in public and aims to make this the party’s official position at the national party conference at the end of February. This was reported by “Bild” on its Monday edition, citing a corresponding party-congress proposal.
In the proposal, the union states that it “advocates for a general prohibition of covering the face in the public space”. It specifically demands a ban on wearing “clothing or coverings that fully or largely conceal the face” naming the burka, niqab and comparable face veils. The document argues that a veil ban sends a “clear message about women’s self‑determination and against any form of forced covering”.
The union further contends that permanent veiling “hinders integration and creates parallel structures” and that the ability to identify people in public is essential for public safety, policing, and the functioning of state institutions. It adds that such bans can withstand court scrutiny, pointing to similar prohibitions that have been adopted in several European states-including France, Belgium, and Austria-and upheld by national supreme courts as well as the European Court of Human Rights.