Swiss to vote on ban on wearing face coverings

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbhahrain.com

Switzerland is set to vote on Sunday on whether to ban effectively the wearing of burqas, the full-body covering worn by some Muslim women, and other full-face coverings.

The proposal demands that no one should be allowed to cover their face in public, with only a handful of exceptions. The ban was put forward by a right-wing, anti-Islam group that in 2009 pushed through a ban on the building of new minarets through a referendum.

Similar bans exist in Austria, the Netherlands and France, dpa reports.

After strong support for the initiative initially, recent polls have shown a decline in people who said they would vote "yes" to the ban, leaving the outcome of Sunday's referendum uncertain.

Other issues to be voted on include law regarding an electronic identity card, which is controversial because private companies are set to offer the card, and a free-trade agreement with Indonesia.

Polling stations close at noon (1100 GMT). More than 90 per cent of voters cast their ballot by mail, and turnout is often below 50 per cent. About 5.4 million people are eligible to cast their votes.